The Hunter and the Hunted
by Wolfs
Summary: In a city torn apart by gang wars and violence, one connection is destined to set the sky on fire. Paige creeps in shadow as a vigilante figure that loses both her focus and her heart at the sight of Emily Fields - but she is promised to another. With their lives in the hands of fate, will they find their bliss before it's too late? AU PAILY - I claim to own nothing! Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Paige slowly exhaled and closed her eyes. It was a mere second, if even that long, in which time seemed to stand still. She could feel the air gently moving in tendrils around her cheeks, playfully pawing at the loose strands of hair falling into her face. Gravity was steady and there was no inkling of doubt in her mind that the shot would be perfect. Her strong muscles trembled slightly while every sinew and tendon quivered with the taught string of her bow. She finally released her grip and felt the velvet brush of the feathers at the back end of her arrow glided past her cheek and through the fingers gripping the bow. Perfect.

The small crowd gathered around the archer erupted with delight as the arrow skewered a juicy red apple and hit the board above the head of a shaking boy that seemed like he was about a second away from wetting himself. By the time he developed second thoughts about volunteering it had been too late, and he could not afford to lose face in front of his buddies and the girl he was trying to impress. Paige respected such an impulsive show of bravado. Though more calculated, she found herself doing much the same a lot of the time. Of course, who could resist showing off to a pretty girl?

"Don't you ever get bored of doing tricks for coins?" Caleb stepped up to Paige and gave her a solid pat on the shoulder as she finished taking a bow and grinning at her audience. They were nothing more than a small splash of nameless faces on a street corner between nothing and nowhere. The sun was lazily dragging its weight behind the tall and dilapidated factories and warehouses of downtown Rosewood and broken windows all around them illuminated the wet streets in fiery colours.

"A girl's gotta make a living." Paige shrugged and turned to face her old friend. The crowd would not disperse yet, their restlessness an indication that they wanted to see more.

"This is not what I'd call making a living, Culler. We could use your skills over at Shark base. You could make a _killing_ working for Maya." Caleb's dark eyes had a hint of concern etched into their glossy surface. He didn't enjoy the thought of his oldest friend sauntering around the rough side of town alone. He knew she could handle herself, just like she always had, but he wanted a better life for her – the life he had found when he joined the Sharks.

"See, that's the whole point, Cay. I'm not interested in the _killing_ part." She placed a bitter emphasis on the word denoting death and turned around to face the crowd, her hand reaching above her head and behind her shoulder to pull another sleek black arrow from the leather quiver strapped to her back. Focusing her charm back on her admirers, Paige gave a Cheshire grin and asked, "So, who has a gun?"

Caleb's jaw clenched in irritation, but he stepped back to join the crowd none the less, shaking his head as Paige pulled an older – and meaner – looking fellow from across the way, a 9 mil glinting in his hand.

"Five paces, then turn, draw and shoot." Paige explained to the man what she wanted him to do, but the scepticism on his face was as hard as the silence was suddenly loud. The expectation that this would end badly vibrated in a low murmur through the crowd. Yet Caleb sighed and watched. He was nervous, but he knew better than to doubt Paige.

The scene unfolded like a post-apocalyptic western as Paige and the fellow turned to stand back to back and started pacing in opposite directions. Every step was a painfully loud beat to every spectator's heart – another second closer to what seemed like certain death. What made it even worse was that Paige had both her bow and arrow hanging limply by her sides in either hand. Another step, another beat, another drop of sweat. The crowd seemed to collectively hold their breath…

 **BANG!**

Paige dropped to the floor as a shrieking gasp ran through the crowd, but it took only one second and Paige was back on her feet, the realisation dawning that the bullet had been flung up into the air as Paige's arrow had pinned the fabric around the man's wrist to the wall behind him, the gun pointing upwards. He tried his best to free himself, but struggled for quite a while as Paige took another bow at the small crowd cheering like their team had just won the Superbowl.

"How do you do that?" The man with the hardened expression finally faltered as he looked at Paige with pleading eyes once she stepped up to help him break free from the snare of her arrow. "A lot of practise…" Paige shrugged as she placed the arrow back into her quiver, but the man was not satisfied with her answer. "You could have died." His brows hung heavily over his eyes as he placed one hand gently on Paige's shoulder. The small smile that settled on her lips was no smile at all. In fact, it was a rather poignant visual manifestation of her aching emotions. "That's the thing. I wouldn't have cared if I did." With a solemn nod she finally took her leave of the small group and skipped across the road.

"Culler, hold up!" Caleb jogged after her just in time to follow her as she slipped around one dark corner before sneaking around another, her outfit of black leather and denim allowing her to move through the shadows as if she was one herself. "You know we're not like that! The Sharks are trying to clean up the streets and keep them safe for folks like your admirers back there." He reluctantly climbed after Paige as she jumped onto a rickety metal ladder leading up to a security stairwell on the side of a facebrick building, making her way upwards for about four floors before disappearing through an open window. "We're the good guys, Paige." He breathed heavily, finally settling on the windowsill as he watched her put away her weapons and kick off her boots.

"With Devil blood on your hands." She shook her head as she pulled two beers from her fridge and passed one to her friend before collapsing onto her barely still standing couch.

"The Devils are pushing boundaries. Just last week they displaced twenty-eight people by burning down their homes and all they had down in Old River Road. You know why they did it? Refused to push product. They were just trying to keep their street clean and their kids out of jail!" Caleb became more impassioned as he continued speaking, his plight heavy on his brow and on his lips.

"That doesn't make them free range targets, Cay!" Paige was visibly upset, quickly swallowing down half her beer and some of her frustration along with it.

"We only ever shoot in defence. And only if there's no other way. That's why we could use you on our side, Culler. You're lethal, but with the safety clip on." He grinned and pointed the neck of his beer bottle at her as if to cheers her. He had always admired her unbelievable skills with a bow and arrow and he knew that those were not the only weapons she was proficient in.

Paige snorted and shook her head. "No one calls me Culler anymore." The expression on her face was one of bitterness, the faraway look in her eye an indication of a dark memory she'd rather forget.

"Well listen, just think about it. It would be good to have you by my side again." He nodded almost sadly and finished the last bit of liquid from the bottle grasped in his hand, before placing the empty container on the floor next to his feet. "I'm meeting some of the guys over at McLaren's, we've got business to attend to later. If you feel like coming along for the ride, you know where to find me."

Paige watched solemnly as Caleb climbed back out the window and disappeared down the steel stairs, leaving her to the maelstrom of thoughts storming through her mind.

" _The only good Devil, is a dead one…"_

The club was pulsating like the blood in an adrenaline junkie's veins, each beat in the music accompanied by flashing lights, while the low baseline vibrated right through the hot and sweaty bodies grinding together on the dance floor. Against the one wall sat a stage that housed the DJ box, flanked by a cage on either side where deliciously sexy ladies were giving it all they had for the entertainment of the patrons. Neon laser lights flashed across the glossy black floor and travelled to where the bar was lit up by black lights off to one side. Private booths dipped in wine and velvet sat across the room, gentlemen in immaculate suits, discussing business, relaxing in this luxurious spot, often with a pretty thing serving hard liquor on one knee.

The crowd parted slightly as a tall woman drifted past, her sensational olive skin swathed in soft layers of cream silk, flowing around her elegant curves and lean legs, while her dark chocolate locks fell softly over her bare shoulders and tickled at her beautifully chiselled collarbone. She finally reached the person she had been seeking in the form of a classical blonde beauty with mischievous blue eyes, leaning against a banister as she allowed a young lawyer to try his luck in flirting with her. The goddess whispered something in her friend's ear and they both walked off, solemn expressions settling on their lovely faces.

"We've got a problem." Spencer said from her perch on the edge of her desk, Emily and Hannah having just walked into the back office while the door slowly swung closed behind them, effectively blocking out most of the music. On the couch sat Aria, comforting a clearly very distressed Mona. Hannah rushed to the other side of her, trying to soothe the small girl. "What happened?"

"Th..the Devils!" Mona broke down and sobbed into Hannah's neck, visibly still shaken up by what had happened just earlier that evening at the establishment she managed.

Spencer filled the rest in as she explained, "They took The Basement Lounge tonight. Killed the muscle, tried to threaten some of the girls and convince them into joining their cause. They have effectively seized the joint as their own. We don't have the resources to take it back." She ran a frustrated hand through her long hair and idly chewed on her lower lip. It was obvious that she was desperately grasping at a plan that continued to elude her.

"That's the second of our businesses in the past month! They'll have us bankrupt before the year is out!" Aria raised her usually timid voice, hands flailing for emphasis. "Not to mention that they're dropping bodies like flies; _our_ bodies – our patrons, our customers, our employees. Spence, how long before it's _us_?"

Spencer sighed and shook her head. She felt lost, like a child – a feeling very foreign to the strong young woman. "Em…What are you thinking?" She cast her eyes over to where Emily was leaning against the wall by the window, idly watching the city lights flash in an ocean of darkness.

"We have a way out." Emily gave a small smile over her shoulder at the girls, but Hannah was quick to protest as she leapt to her feet and raised her voice to an unusual level of panic. "Em, no! We've discussed this and we've all decided that there's no way we would allow you to make that sacrifice!"

"Hannah, it's not a sacrifice!" Emily spun around and stepped towards her friends, her smile growing bigger and more genuine in that almost sad, self-sacrificing way that Emily has mastered. "You make it sound like you guys are about to sell me to the slave market. Maya is gentle and kind and has always been good to me. Standing by her side would hardly qualify as punishment."

"Yeah, but Em, it's not exactly the great romance that you've dreamt about. You shouldn't have to push your own happiness aside for our sake." Spencer stepped towards Emily and placed a hand gently on her shoulder as she spoke with concern lacing her voice.

"I love Maya. I have loved her all my life, ever since we were children. I could be happy with her." Emily tried to sound confident, but as she pushed past Spencer she seemed to falter, her tongue slipping on the last few words she uttered, causing them to sound clumsy and unconvincing.

"There's a big difference between having love for someone… and being in love." Aria breathed out, a look of pity crossing her features as she eyed Emily. "Look, I'm sure if we just asked Maya for her help she would give it to us. Why do we _have_ to trade you for protection?"

"It's not like that, Aria. It just wouldn't be fair to her. You know how she feels about me. It wouldn't be right to just take advantage of her like that. I owe her my dedication." Emily shook her head fervently, trying to convince herself more than anyone else in the room. However, soon determination set in as she walked over to the desk and picked up the phone.

"How have you been, Em? I miss our chats." Toby placed his hand gently on top of Emily's as they sat side by side in the backseat of a moving vehicle bound for Shark Base. It was about 3 am the same night still and Emily was on her way to see Maya.

"Holding in there, my friend. Eager to see your boss lady." She smiled at him and bumped his shoulder with hers. "Spencer says hi, by the way."

Toby blushed but clenched his jaw, the thought of Spencer clearly bringing up mixed emotions for the strapping young bodyguard. "If she wants to say hi, she should just pick up the phone and call. I'm too old for pass-the-message." Emily snickered at his discomfort and rested her head on his shoulder, her arm swinging around his torso to give him a hug.

There was a history permeating Emily and her friends when it came to their relationships with the Sharks. There was a time long ago when they were all just kids playing cops and robbers and damsels in distress. It was hard to believe that they had grown up to live a very similar reality. Most of them had attended the same high school, while some of them suffered through that time from their own side of the tracks. However, even though the class divide was palpable back when they were all teenagers, it now did not matter much anymore as they had integrated and found joy and reassurance in each other's company and relationships.

Emily had met Toby in her junior year as she was starting to come to terms with her sexuality. Toby, on the other hand, was an outcast that many kids had feared. He was sullen and broody and had a knack for always being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Many regarded him with disdain, but he had found a friend in the sweet Emily. He doted on her for giving him the chance to show himself, while she adored him for the same reason as he was the first to reassure her that the only difference between her and most girls was the fact that her heart was pure, and not the issue of her attraction to women instead.

"How is she doing, Toby?" Emily's smile faltered briefly, but she placed a greater deal of effort into making it seem more sincere as she turned her head to regard him curiously.

"She's well. She's amazing. Strong as ever, an inspiration to her gang. She's really trying hard to make a difference, you know?" He smiled with reassurance and nodded towards her. "She'll be beside herself to see you finally. She doesn't let on, but sometimes the loneliness shines through."

Emily and Maya shared a more complicated history that left a bittersweet taste in the mouths of both women. They had been close all their lives as they lived on the same block and played in the streets until the sun disappeared in the evenings. Even at such a young age, there was a special connection between them, a certain spark that could not be vocalised. It was Maya that eventually tugged at Emily's sense of self when she lit the flame of desire within the raven-haired beauty during their teenage years. Eventually love blossomed, but it was not meant to be. Maya had always been considered a troubled youth, especially with the influence of her friends, and slowly got pulled into the seedy underbelly of the town and the workings of the youth gangs. It was not long after that Maya found herself in a spot of trouble with the law, while Emily's parents outright refused that she had anything to do with her any longer. They parted ways sadly and turbulently and Emily heard or saw nothing of Maya for years. It was only once they had reached a good deal into their adult lives and Emily had settled into business in the nightlife scene with her friends that stories of Maya and her gang of Sharks started surfacing again. Eventually Maya had reached out to Emily, but Emily tried to keep her distance for the most part, not wishing to dredge up old baggage, even though she still had a strong sense of fondness for the girl. Admittedly she was scared. Scared of losing herself in Maya again. Scared of losing herself, her independence.

"Em… You're scared. It's written all over your face… You know that you don't have to devote yourself to Maya for her to help you and the girls out. The guys and I would be more than willing to offer protection." Toby's voice was nothing but sincerity laced with concern for his old friend, trying his best to offer her as much support as he could.

Emily smirked and shook her head as that same sentiment washed over her for the second time that evening. "I wish it was that easy. This is not just a case of a few break-ins. Things are spiralling out there. Our best chance at true survival is to join with Maya. We can't approach her empty handed."

"So buy her a nice bottle of wine. You're not chattel. And I'm sure she doesn't expect you to act as such. Maya is…" Toby stopped abruptly.

The sweet catch-up session was quickly cut short as their car screeched to a halt. Glancing out the windshield past their driver, they could see two black jeeps blocking the road, another one visible in the rear view mirror as it came to a halt behind them.

"Devils! Emily, get on the floor, now!" Toby finished shoving his friend down just in time to have the back window shatter as a bullet went flying through the car. He pulled two pistols from their holsters against his ribs and started shooting at the jeep behind them. "Drive! Drive! Drive!"

Their car lurched back into motion as it screeched in a semi-circle, trying to turn halfway around and shoot down a side street. The black jeeps, however, followed as they chased Toby and Emily's vehicle down the streets of the warehouse district. "Need backup, heading for Governor and Cross! Three vehicles in pursuit! Bullets flying!" Their driver shouted over his radio in an attempt to get help.

Toby shoved a tiny revolver into Emily's hands before he went back to shooting out the back window, finally hitting one of the wheels on the jeep and watching it jacknife into a wall. The other two quickly passed the crashed vehicle though, still hot on their tail. "Mike, I need you to enter the next back street and do a slide before exiting again. Em, when the vehicle slows, you need to jump. Run into the first alley you can find and hide. As soon as backup finds us I'll come find you, I promise!"

Emily was terrified, to say the least. It's not that she lacked bravery or has never been in a scrap, but this was a whole new level of crazy and she definitely was not dressed for the occasion. "Toby, I…" She stuttered, trying to move onto her knees on the floor of the car, but before she could protest any further she was flung from the car with Toby's help. She rolled a few feet on the wet cement and then skidded an extra few inches, her revolver sliding a little further than she did. She knew there was no time to cry, though, and scrambled to her feet as quickly as she could muster, grabbed the pistol and bolted into a dark alley with the sounds of heavy footsteps coming after her.

She spun, taking one dark corner after the next, sticking to the blackest shadows in an attempt to hide, but she could still hear them coming after her. Suddenly her motion was halted by a strong hand wrapping around her face, effectively covering her mouth and stifling any attempted scream. Another arm wrapped around her middle and forcefully tugged her behind a dumpster just as three Devils, guns at the ready, turned the corner. "Stay here…" The voice whispered sternly into her ear before the body moved away, leaving Emily to shiver as she curled up close to the ground.

"Guys, I don't know what you've been taught about girls, but generally when they're running in the opposite direction… you're doing it wrong." The cocky voice took shape, but stayed in the shadows as Emily watched the scene unfold from her little corner. What happened next seemed utterly unreal.

The shadowy figure sent one arrow flying towards the men pointing their guns, just in time for the projectile to pierce one of the guys through his skull, having found entry via his left eye. He dropped lifeless to the ground, but his friend on the other hand was pulling the trigger at a rapid pace. Shadows, however, are hard to hit, so the figure ran towards the side of the building, ran right up the wall before jumping from a small ledge a few feet up, flipping over backwards and coming to land on the metal stairwell running up the side of the opposite building. This manoeuvre gave the vigilante enough movement to avoid the bullets, but also enough time to ready another arrow. By the time boots could be heard hitting the metal landing of the stairs, the second gunman slumped down to his knees and keeled over, an arrow pierced right through his throat.

The figure dropped back down to the ground but remained tense. "That was…wow…" Emily stepped slowly from behind the dumpster, but the shadow held up one hand to silence her.

"There were three…"

"Three?"

"Three men…"

Emily held her breath, but her weariness came too late as she was suddenly grabbed from behind, the cool barrel of a gun pressing into her temple. "Don't move, or I'll kill her!"

The shadow slowly turned around and raised _her_ hands. For the first time Emily was able to make out the features on her almost-rescuer's face. The girl was beautiful, though clearly some battles have aged her in years. Her milky brown hair hung in loose and rebellious strands down her neck, perfectly framing a set of stormy eyes and a defiant little smirk. There was a jagged scar running along the left side of her face, reaching from brow to cheekbone and only served the purpose of making her look impossibly sexier.

"What's the use in killing her? It's not half as much fun if she's not squirming and moaning!" She dropped her bow to show that she had no intention of harming him.

"What… What are you talking about?" He was clearly still nervous as there was a light tremble in his voice.

"Come on, Jack! Don't tell me you haven't thought about it. I mean…" She stopped her steps and whistled, her head canting to one side as she bit her bottom lip. "Just look at her…"

"I have orders to follow, fool! Stop talking shit!" Now he was getting restless.

"Jack, no one has to know… Look at her face, Jack… She wants it…" Emily's face looked nothing but utterly petrified, though this was still hidden from the gunman's view. She was, however, incredibly confused and completely outraged that this stranger was simply standing there, acting cocky and spurring on a gang member to...

"How do you know?" His voice went up a notch.

"Just take a look, Jack. We can make it a party, just the three of us…" She nodded over at Emily, then grinned at the gunman she has effectively named "Jack".

Spinning Emily around in his tight grip, gun still pointing at her head, he gave a wretched smile as he took in her beauty, his eyes immediately starting to brim with lust. "Oh well now, gorgeous… Let's party…"

His breath was vile as he leaned in to kiss Emily, but before his lips could even touch hers, a shot rang out the silent alley, echoing off the walls. Jack dropped to his knees, then onto his back, bleeding out from his abdomen. A still smoking pistol dropped from Emily's hand onto the ground next to the dead body.

"Well done." Emily's partner laughed as she picked up her bow and moved towards the shocked girl. "You really ruined his night."

Emily was shaking violently as the girl picked up her pistol and held it out to her. The frightened girl grabbed it and held on tightly. "Easy now, we don't need any accidents. Come on."

She reached for Emily's hand to lead her off, but Emily quickly jerked back and pointed the gun at her. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't." The smile tugging at the corners of her lips was cheeky and confident as she stepped closer to Emily, allowing the gun to press against her chest right over her heart. "But what are your options?"

"My escort is out looking for me. He said he'd come find me." Emily trembled as she lowered the gun slightly.

"Babe, in this neighbourhood, you'll be dead before he does. A pretty thing like you all by yourself – you'll draw unwanted attention very quickly." She tried to reach for Emily's hand one more time, but again Emily pulled away.

"You're insulting me!" Emily quickly turned defiant, vibrating with anger. "First you try to help me, then try to see me molested! Then…" Her words were cut off in her throat as she found an impossibly warm pair of the softest lips she had ever felt pressed firmly against hers. Her head spun in a mixture between anger and excitement. Her body was completely confused at the sensations suddenly coursing through it, but soon she was tasting nothing but cold air again.

"Now I've insulted you. Everything else was to save your pretty ass."

Emily's expression went from dazed and slightly dreamy to furious in one second flat. She pulled her hand back quickly and slapped the face before her as hard as she could. The other girl clutched her cheek and looked stunned, but only for a moment before irritation took over.

"Look, princess, we don't have time for this 50 Shades crap. We need to get out of here." She took a few steps towards the shadows but turned around as she realised Emily wasn't following her. However, all it took was a few angry voices and gunshots echoing in the distance to make her change her mind. She quickly skipped towards the girl with her arms folded tightly around herself.

"Keep your hands to yourself!" She barked.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks a lot for the reviews, follows and favourites! It keeps me inspired to write more. Of course this is a multi-chapter fic and I will try to get a chapter out at least once a week.**

 **NB – Please try not to get too frustrated with Emily's situation. This is ultimately a Paily fic and though it might be a slow and perilous journey, you will be rewarded for your patience every now and then.**

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"Is there any specific reason you use the window rather than the door?" Emily questioned suspiciously as Paige helped her down from the windowsill and into her living room.

"Yes." She answered simply and placed her weapons on a nearby table, then walked over to her fridge to grab a couple of beers. It was routine by now.

"Care to explain?" Emily quirked a brow as she looked around the room, rubbing her arm in discomfort.

"Nope." Paige smirked and handed her one beer, her brows soon furrowing as she studied Emily. The girl's dress was torn and tattered from her ordeal, and so were a few patches of skin scattered over the exposed parts of her body. The wounds looked inflamed and painful, some tiny pieces of gravel still visible.

Paige quickly disappeared through a dark doorway off to one side of the apartment and soon returned with a small bag in one hand and some clothes in the other. "Here, go get changed so that I can see to your wounds. You need to get cleaned up before you contract an infection."

Emily took the articles of clothing from Paige and let the cloth unfurl, confusion taking over her features. "You're joking, right?" She dangled a tiny pair of black shorts from one finger, while the other hand waved a white tank around. "What are you trying to play at here? I'm not wearing this! I don't even know you from Adam!"

Paige sighed and sunk down into her couch, beer bottle coming to rest between her thighs as she eyed Emily with a mix of frustration and amusement. "I don't know Adam either." She snickered and shook her head, "You really are a princess… Must I play the role of your lady in waiting and give you a sponge bath too?" Paige enjoyed watching the anger flash through Emily's eyes at her question, but the one thing that was even more enjoyable to observe was the slight tinge to her cheeks. Paige thought she was incredibly sexy when she got mad.

"In your dreams…" Emily growled and sauntered off into the dimly lit bathroom to get changed.

"Oh you have no idea…" Paige chuckled in return. She had so hoped for a quiet night. In fact, she was merely out for a stroll in the cool night air to clear her head when she stumbled upon the commotion, immediately realising that, without a doubt, it was another confrontation between the Sharks and the Devils. The gang war between the two factions had been spiralling out of control as of late and the best that innocent bystanders could do was to take cover. Paige tried to remain Switzerland, but it was getting increasingly more difficult as she watched the innocent pay the price. Caleb's plea for her to join the Sharks drifted back to mind, and though she wasn't a big fan of the Devils and knew very well what they were capable of, she had no desire to immerse herself in a war where it seemed like there'd be no possible winner. She had killed Devils before this night, and no doubt she probably would again. In her mind, in her soul, however, every Devil dead by her hands was another lifetime in hell. Another sentence weighing in on the eternity of her very essence.

 _The only good Devil is a dead one…_

"Let's just get this over with." Emily sighed as she moved to sit next to Paige on the couch a few minutes later, effectively breaking her reverie, outfitted in her borrowed clothes and tugging at the small pair of shorts uncomfortably. It's not that she was ungrateful, but something about the other woman made her incredibly uncomfortable in the most exciting way possible. Emily wasn't sure how to react, especially considering she was still pumped full of adrenaline.

"Yes, my lady…" Paige breathed a little more raggedly, taking a few seconds to appreciate Emily's appearance once her eyes settled on the exotic beauty. The black and white made her bronze skin seem almost illuminated, while leaving her dark eyes as deep and turbulent as the kind of whirlpool Paige wouldn't mind drowning in. Her legs were lean and muscled and seemed to stretch into infinity and the thought of them wrapped around Paige's waist made her heart skip a beat. This girl was undeniably gorgeous, yet the hint of fear and uncertainty still etched into her features made her so completely disarming that Paige felt a deep fire of desire and possession stir within the pit of her stomach.

There was little doubt in her mind that she'd probably kill thousands of Devils to keep such a celestial creature alive.

Paige used some cotton wool and antiseptic liquid to clean the scrapes on Emily's knees, elbows and one shoulder, attempting to be as gentle as possible, but the stinging made the beauty whimper softly and pull away. "It's not that bad. Look, here…" Paige lifted one hand to gently rest on Emily's cheek and turned her face towards her. "Focus on me." Paige whispered and held Emily's gaze unfalteringly, her hands continuing to work on the wounds. It seemed to help as Emily settled down, still wincing at the pain every now and then, but keeping her eyes on the pair in front of her as her breathing fell into a deep and even rhythm.

The atmosphere around them turned electric and Emily struggled to deny how pleasing the sight of her rescuer was this up close and personal. She tilted her head slightly and studied the scar she had spotted earlier and suppressed the urge to run her finger along the swollen skin, tracing every bump and dip. Even something so unsightly to most people seemed absolutely enchanting to Emily. She knew it was a sign of this girl's courage, or perhaps a sign of recklessness, but either way Emily found it to be magnetic. She wanted to ask about it, but she didn't even know the girl's name and didn't want to be intrusive in any way. Her earlier reservations about this young woman were crumbling away as she breathed in her warmth and serenity.

"There… all done." Paige breathed a little wistfully and dropped her hand to rest on top of Emily's, not willing to move away from her just yet.

"Thanks… So, what do I call my Prince Charming?" Emily smiled a little cheekily, feeling the life coursing back to her face and colouring her cheeks a rosy shade.

"Prince Charming? No…I'm more of a _page_ boy…" Paige chuckled at her pun, though of course it sailed over Emily's head. Emily didn't mind, her smile stretching anyway.

For a brief second Emily thought about those soft lips again, so close now, twitching in similar anticipation that she was herself experiencing somewhere in her aching chest. Then the old bell tower of a nearby abandoned church rang its chime into the still night, shattering her reverie. She jumped to her feet, leaving Paige dazed down on the couch.

"I have to get back to my escort. They probably think I'm dead by now. Please, do you have a phone I could borrow?" Emily folded her arms around herself, suddenly feeling cold as she glanced about the room in search of a receiver or a mobile. Paige pulled one from the pocket of her black skinnies and held it out to Emily. "Tell them you're with a friend and that you're safe. It's only about two more hours until sunrise, then I'll take you to wherever you need to be."

Emily nodded a little uncertainly, but turned around and went about making her phone call. Paige didn't bother to try and listen to the conversation, but it was clear by Emily's tone of voice that there was a great amount of care between her and the person on the other end, whoever they might be. Paige felt a sad pang hit her stomach, but she quickly swallowed and pushed it away as she moved to her feet and pulled a fluffy blanket from the back of the couch, sky blue in colour, and moved to wrap it around Emily's shoulders as she finished her phone call.

Emily hung up and smiled over her shoulder, "You don't have to go through all this trouble, you know."

"And what if I want to?" Paige quirked one brow, her hands easing down Emily's arms over the surface of the blanket. She wasn't ready to move away. She wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to move away again.

Emily's breath hitched as she turned around to face the other girl, her eyes dipping involuntarily down to the lips so provocatively on display. "Then you should at least tell me your name…"

"My name is whatever you want it to be…" Paige whispered as her arms stretched further around Emily, pulling her even closer as she slowly leaned in, Emily being the sun whose gravitational pull she simply couldn't resist any longer.

It was not to be, however, as Emily strained to force herself to turn her face to the side, tingling as Paige's lips brushed her cheek instead. "I can't… I'm sorry."

Paige sighed and immediately stepped away, though she offered Emily a smile. "You can, but something tells me you won't. One day, princess…" With these final daring words Paige disappeared into the dark bedroom.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

" _Zack, no! Stop! Please!" Paige cried, her vision blurry with tears, both shed and welled up in her eyes as they took in the horror before her._

 _Jamie was already bleeding from her mouth and nose, doubled over in pain after she had been kicked and punched without mercy. Now there was a gun pointed at her head, and when Paige held her breath she swore she could hear the trigger creak under the pressure of Zack's itchy finger._

" _Zack, it wasn't her fault! Let her go! Please!" Paige tried again, her pleas guttural and heart wrenching. She grabbed at Zack's arm in an attempt to deter his aim, but he simply swatted her back onto the ground and out of the way._

" _The only good Devil is a dead one!"_

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

Paige bolted upright in her bed, sweat sliding down her neck and chest as she heaved, struggling to breathe. The nightmare slowly dissipated but the feelings never subsided fully, she knew from experience. Sometimes it would take up to a week and a strong liquor binge to numb the anxiety. She hadn't experienced the recurring nightmare for a while, almost allowing herself to feel a sense of peace again. Almost.

Somehow her damsel in distress had reawakened the dark beast residing within her subconscious. Somehow this stranger she found on the street like a lost puppy managed to immerse Paige's head into a most painful past experience, drenching her in hurt and apprehension. This on-going gang war was starting to hit close to home. Again.

For her own sanity's sake, she couldn't allow that to happen. She couldn't allow her attraction to this stranger to draw her into the fold. She couldn't allow herself to acknowledge the allure of her gaze, or map the colour of her hair or decipher the scent of her skin. She couldn't allow her to lure her into the murky waters of a past she's been trying so desperately to swim from. She honestly thought she had managed to.

Apparently she was wrong.

 _Damnit…_

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"Emily! Are you okay?" Toby rushed towards his friend once they neared each other, now in broad daylight and closer to Shark Base where it was safe. Paige had escorted her to a quiet little corner café where she was to meet up with her bodyguard, the Head Shark deciding it was best to keep her whereabouts and movement low-key as to not risk another intervention.

"Oh my god, Toby, I thought…" She nestled her face in the crook of his neck and breathed him in as tears slid down her cheek, clutching close to him and hanging on as if her life depended on it. Paige watched awkwardly from the side, the interaction between the pair making her immensely uncomfortable. It was clear that they cared a great deal for each other and Paige could not help but wonder, even assume that this man was her lover.

"What happened to you? How did you…?" Toby pulled back and shook his head at her, but he was grinning broadly as he checked Emily over for any grievous injuries. He had honestly thought she was lost to them, a vile pain swimming in his gut at the thought that it would have been his fault.

Emily seemed to understand and realise this, quickly moving her hands to his cheeks and steadied his gaze on hers. "I'm fine… I'm okay! I owe my life…" Emily grinned and turned in his arms to motion to her companion and introduce her, but she was gone. Emily frowned darkly and craned her neck to peer down the street in each direction, but there was no sign of her vigilante saviour. Briefly, Emily's chest ached at the sudden loss she felt. It wasn't intense, it wasn't far-reaching, but it was tangible and it lingered.

She didn't even get her name.

"Come on, let's get you to base. Maya won't stop phoning me." Toby grabbed Emily by the hand and dragged her to the car waiting nearby. Emily wrenched her gaze away from the empty street and tried to push all thoughts of the stranger aside. Somehow Emily clung to the image of the woman as some beautiful and nameless fallen angel, sweeping the shadows to keep the simple sinners safe. If sin was what it took to see her again, Emily briefly thought that she'd set the world on fire. But such frivolous fantasies would not keep her or her friends safe, and a lovely fantasy was all this would be.

She quickly closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, letting those stormy eyes wash away from her memory.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"Emily!" Spencer, Hanna and Aria called at once as their friend finally appeared in the lavish courtyard of Shark Base, jumping from their seats at a small table in the corner and skipping past the people mulling about in order to reach her and jointly wrap her up in their arms. They were terribly relieved that Emily had been returned safely, having been waiting for her for the better part of the morning after they had made their way over at the news that Toby was collecting her.

"Are you okay?" Aria asked as she took Emily's face in her hands, wiping gently at the tears that rolled slowly down her cheeks. "What happened? How did you survive?" Hanna chimed in and rubbed Emily's arms, while Spencer placed her hand on Emily's shoulder in a comforting motion as she spoke, "Toby and the others tracked down all the Devils involved in the attack. They've been taken care of, Em, don't worry."

Emily felt overwhelmed and exhausted, allowing her friends to guide her down into a seat to offer her food and drink to help stop her body from shaking in the aftermath of the night before. She forced herself to take in some nourishment as she tried to tell her story without getting swept away by the emotions she was embroiled in. She explained everything from the ambush to the alley where she had been saved by a mysterious vigilante and how the woman assisted her and escorted her back to Toby that morning. The girls were in awe, balancing on the edge of their seats as they tried to imagine the events as Emily described them in as much detail as she could, fresh tears springing to her watery brown eyes every few seconds.

"Oh my dear, that's quite the ordeal!" Maya soothed as she approached the girls, her gaze lingering tenderly on Emily. The shaken girl smiled then as she felt relief wash over her, a feeling she hadn't quite expected to flood her when she laid eyes on Maya again for the first time in so long. She moved quickly from her seat and flung her arms around the darker woman's neck, stifling a sob as Maya wrapped her arms tightly around Emily's body. "I'm so sorry for what you have gone through, but I promise…" May paused and pulled back to place one hand gingerly on Emily's cheek, meeting her swollen eyes with a determined look, "Nothing of the nature will ever happen again. You're under my protection now." She smiled and glanced at the other girls, adding, "You all are. I will see to it that no Devil ever sets foot near any of you or your businesses again."

"Maya…I don't know…" Emily started, struggling to put her thoughts into a coherent order to express what she was struggling to understand and feel herself. Maya quickly prevented her from speaking any further, seemingly understanding the struggle she was battling at that moment, and simply gave her a reassuring smile. "Enough for now, my sweet. We have all the time in the world to talk when you are feeling better. First, I want you to get settled in. I'm sure you could use a nice hot bath and some clean clothes, perhaps even some rest. I'm sure your friends will be more than happy to see to it that you are eased into your comfort zone." She looked over to the other girls whom all shared a nod and a smile in agreement, before motioning over to a handsome young dark-haired man with an air of easy sophistication about him that lingered close by. "Ezra here has been assigned to see to the needs and security of our guests. He will show you ladies to your quarters and assist with anything you may need. I will meet with you all again this evening over dinner."

Emily let her gaze travel from her friends, to Ezra, and finally back to Maya before offering her a grateful and most sincere smile. She had honestly missed the girl, now a woman, and felt a sense of warmth at their reunion. Perhaps everything would be okay. Perhaps she had actually made the right decision to turn to Maya. Perhaps she could embrace and live a happy life with her childhood sweetheart. "Thank you, Maya. You have no idea…"

Again Maya silenced her, this time pressing a gentle kiss to the corner of Emily's lips. "Be calm, my sweet. You can say everything you need to in due course." As Maya stepped back from Emily, she let the taller woman's arm glide through her fingers until she clasped onto Emily's hand, lifting it to her lips to place a kiss to the back of it, then let go and stepped away, moving off.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Emily turned away from the window that offered a beautiful view of the city below and let her fingers softly graze along the row of immaculate dresses and other items of clothing in the cupboard of the room she would be occupying, amazed at how much care Maya had taken to have the place stocked and decorated for Emily specifically in such a short time. It honestly made her a bit uncomfortable as she felt the pressure weighing in on her chest at what was expected of her. She kept reminding herself that she wanted to be here, that this was the path she had chosen and the life that she had wanted to live.

But the nagging feeling in the back of her mind seemed to persist that she was merely resigning herself to it, rather than embracing it.

"Was she hot?" Hanna's voice broke Emily's reverie from where she was seated on the divan off to one side. Emily raised one confused brow at her friend. It was just the two of them now as Spencer had wandered off to have a chat with Toby, while Aria seemed distracted by Ezra's presence outside the door of the room on the balcony that lined the wall.

"Who?" Emily frowned at the most brazen of her three friends before turning back to the cupboard to find something to wear to dinner.

"You know who, Em. Your mystery archer. Was she hot? She sounds hot, all decked out in black leather, kicking ass, _fingering_ that bow of hers with such expertise…" Hanna grinned salaciously and winked at Emily, effectively causing the tan girl to blush a pretty scarlet shade.

"Since when are you interested in women, Han?" Emily deflected, or at least tried to, as she pulled a sleek royal blue dress from the cupboard and held it in front of herself as she observed the item in the mirror.

"Only when they cause such a look of longing in my best friend's eyes." She spoke softly, not much of a teasing tone to her voice, though she tried to keep it light while studying Emily closely for a reaction.

"And what makes you think it was her on my mind and not Maya?" Emily tried to remain casual as she played along, though she felt her stomach do a flip. Was she really, in the nagging part at the back of her head, letting her mysterious saviour influence her emotions?

"When a girl is trying to find a dress to wear for someone who already adores her, she feels excited, and thus smiles at her selection in the mirror. You, on the other hand, have barely stopped looking out the window long enough to make a choice." Hanna snorted with a hint of amusement. "And we both know Maya is not out there."

A firm knock on the door thankfully interrupted the awkward conversation; or rather the awkward position Hanna was forcing Emily's thoughts into. She honestly wasn't sure what to make of neither the situation nor the stranger from that night. There was something incredibly seductive about the look in her eyes as she sat close to Emily on the tattered couch in the silent hours of the early morning. Emily had felt her heart flutter wildly as the woman revealed her desire to kiss Emily, but it was not appropriate, causing Emily to pull back. It was crazy. Emily didn't do crazy too well. Most of her life she had been calculated and organised and it worked well for her. She didn't often indulge in impulses and she prided herself on her self-control. She wouldn't allow a mere stranger to let her unravel.

As _hot_ as they may have been…

A second knock rang through the room, Emily realising that Hanna had been watching her with a smirk, making no effort to ease Emily's discomfort. She was sure Hanna was purposefully letting her squirm just so that she could prove her point.

"Who is it?" Emily approached the door and called out. She was about to reach for the handle when it moved and Aria popped her head through the crack, grinning wildly. "You have a gift!" The next thing Emily knew Aria had popped into the room, a little ball of grey fur and sapphire eyes bundled up in her arms, a big red bow around its neck. "Maya thought that maybe you'd settle in more soundly if you had a companion." Emily melted and reached for the kitten, immediately nuzzling the mewling little creature and holding it close.

"You're wrong." Emily shot over at Hanna before grinning at her little friend, happily distracted.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"I am honoured to have you all here, gathered at my table. I want to wish you a very warm welcome, ladies, and a pleasant stay as long as you wish. I do hope that when not staying, your visits will be frequent." Maya lifted her glass of white wine to the table and its occupants in an informal toast, offering them her warmest smile. Next to her Emily was seated, radiant and expressively lighter than she had been that morning, feeling herself relax into the setting. She was accompanied by her three friends, they in turn escorted by Maya's most senior officers: Toby, Caleb and Ezra.

"On my own behalf and that of my friends and partners, I give you the most sincere thank you possible. Your generosity has been and continues to be remarkable." Spencer replied and clinked her glass against Maya's from across the table. As much as they were here to discuss business, there was a sense of pleasure infusing the air around them as they settled into chatter amongst one other. Before long they were presented with a meal that could sate even the fussiest of kings and enjoyed their food, some stories and some laughs.

Emily participated but found herself to be a bit more reserved than usual as she observed everyone else around the table. She watched the gents try their best to impress her friends; her friends, in turn, not bothering to play too coy. They seemed happy and relaxed, and Emily was relieved at the sight. She felt a sense of responsibility for their happiness, for their success and for their safety, which was the biggest reason she had decided to seek out Maya.

Maya was gentle and kind, her hand touching Emily's arm or grazing her fingers ever so often to comfort her and draw her attention. Whenever Emily glanced at her companion, Maya's eyes glittered in the low light of the dining room, her smile seemingly speaking a thousand words that needed no utterance. She was beautiful and confident and garnered Emily's admiration. Emily felt a sense of pride at being by her side.

Perhaps that would be enough.

"I will assign a regiment to your establishments on a permanent basis for monitoring and protection. My men are all trained in the use of technology that will predict and prevent an attack before it occurs. Should they fail this phase, I assure you, they are more than skilled enough to keep you and your patrons safe." The conversation had shifted over to business by the time they had finished their meal and Maya was speaking directly to Spencer now, though she was addressing all four women in an attempt at reassurance.

"I'm afraid that eventually they will find a way around the barricade. They will not stop until they achieve their goals – these goals including the acquisition of our business." Spencer swirled the last bit of her wine in her glass before swallowing it in one last gulp. Her face was hard, but not hostile. It was naturally within Spencer's character to be cynical and it served her well as she was always prepared with a plan at hand. She was a shrewd and somewhat intimidating woman, formidable even, and Maya regarded her with a great deal of respect.

"You are quite right, Spencer. Which is why we won't stop there. The Devils need to be disabled from the inside – no easy feat, as you can imagine. But we are working on the finer details of a plan that I believe will set us all free from their tyranny." At these words the gentlemen at the table all nodded or made a sound in agreement, they having been the ones to assist their leader in formulating their plan of action. They were confident and it shone in their eyes and their smiles.

"Leave the grunt work to us, my dears. It is not only our considered duty to assist you and keep you all safe, but also our utmost pleasure." Maya's grin was stunning, though it soon faded into a softer smile as she regarded Emily beside her, Emily looking to the table to find that their hands were clasped tightly with their fingers entwined. "We have more to discuss, but if you will excuse us for just a moment, I'd like to accompany Emily on a walk around the garden while our food settles." With these words Maya moved from her chair and nodded to the others before guiding Emily away.

The garden was a fairy tale. Soft light from low hanging lanterns warmed even the darkest corners of the lush area, while little fairy lights crept up the trees and wrapped around the branches. The sweet scent of flowers in bloom drifted through the warm breeze, which also softly rustled through the leaves and leafy shrubs. It immediately filled Emily with a sense of calm and warmth, a soothing ambience wrapping around her shoulders and caressing her exposed skin. Maya was silent for a while as she simply enjoyed her companion's child-like astonishment as she gazed all about them, slowly leading them to a wicker bench that sat next to a bubbling stream that trickled down an arrangement of rocks to fall into a small fishpond off to the one side.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that you have brought me here to persuade me of some unspoken intentions, my good lady." Emily smiled happily up at Maya as she held her hand and allowed her to sit down on the bench.

"Perhaps I have." Maya breathed and slowly slipped into the seat next to Emily, turning her body to face the other woman while gathering her hands within her own.

"Maya, I…" Emily whispered, but Maya shook her head to let Emily fall silent, then fixed her with a sincere look in dark cocoa eyes. "Emily… The only thing I want to persuade you of right now is my honourable intentions. Even if you do not choose to stay here with me, if you ever feel like you could not let your emotions grow for me, I would still do my utmost to protect you and the girls and all you hold dear. You are by far the most stunning woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting – something I already knew from the age of five…" Emily chuckled and canted her head to the side as she continued to listen intently, captivated by the beautiful soul sitting before her. She had never imagined that Maya would grow into this incredible a person. She felt ashamed that she didn't have faith in her. She never should have abandoned her in their younger years.

Maya continued after a brief moment, her voice lowering, "I would never want to treat you as anything less than the rare treasure that you are, even if that means giving you room or letting you go. However, I must admit, that my fondness for you has no bounds as far as I can tell. You have never been far from my mind, despite all the time and obstacles that have come between us over the last decade and a half." Maya tentatively reached a hand out to Emily's cheek, softly stroking down her immaculate skin. Emily closed her eyes and leaned into the touch with a small smile and a slow sigh. She felt that nothing this woman could possibly say would make her consider turning away from her. Emily felt, for the first time in so long, nothing but happiness.

Emily lifted her hand to cover Maya's where it still rested on her cheek and moved it slightly to her lips, placing a gentle kiss on her palm before she whispered, "I'm exactly where I want to be, Maya… I will stay by your side with great joy in my heart." Letting their hands drop to her lap, Emily leaned in closer, her eyes shutting halfway as she waited for Maya to close the rest of the distance. She did so a mere second later and poured her heart into the sweet kiss, praying that Emily was sure.

A broken heart hurt far more than a bullet wound, after all.

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

Paige turned the same corner for what seemed like the hundredth time, kicked at a small stone in her way and sent it jumping down the tar surface. It had been two days since she parted ways with Emily and she felt strangely, but irrevocably, lost.

"Emily…"

She breathed the name out softly, relishing in the way it felt as it slipped past her lips, but soon she was shaking her head to dislodge her thoughts of the beauty. She had promised herself, sworn in solemnity even, that she would not dwell on the memory of her. The situation was too delicate, too intricate, even if she didn't know the details. She had seen enough to know that getting close to Emily would mean nothing but trouble.

 _Emily_

Was she a Shark? Paige grimaced and wondered if she could live with it if that was the case. Caleb had been the only Shark she had kept in contact with and she preferred it that way. At least with him things weren't that complicated or that risky. He was a good old friend that drifted on the periphery of her existence. She didn't need to be pulled into the fray, even if that's what he wanted. Either way, it would not affect their friendship.

But Emily…

Paige shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her jeans, her boots scraping across loose pieces of the road as she kicked at the ground in irritation. She would probably never see Emily again, concluding that her anguished behaviour was nothing but a time waster. She turned on her heel and headed in the opposite direction.

"Learning to swim, Culler?" Paige stopped dead in her tracks a few feet down the block, the hairs on the back of her head standing on end.

"Samara… What are you doing here?" Paige turned slowly to observe the blonde beauty leaning against a lamp post, decked out in black tights and black knee-high boots decorated with silver buckles, a black leather biker jacket wrapped around her petite form. She was as alluring as Paige knew she was dangerous.

"I could ask you the same thing. Don't tell me you didn't even notice that you've been circling the formidable Shark Rock for the past hour. I've been watching you." Samara smirked, though Paige was not sure whether it was in amusement or with a tinge of hostility. The truth is Paige had no plan when she went for her walk. Ending up at the gang's compound was pure coincidence, or – she realised – a subconscious act of longing.

"You'll get yourself killed here…" Paige rasped in a low voice and stepped closer to Samara, her eyes flashing with genuine concern for the blonde.

"What's it to you? Just another dead Devil. I heard you've been dropping my friends. Your arrows are unmistakable." Samara crossed her arms in front of her chest defensively, though she still did not show any clear aggression towards Paige. Her comment, however, caught Paige a bit off guard, her hand coming up to run nervously through her hair.

"I was protecting an innocent woman. You know how I feel about Devils preying on the weak." Paige's tone burst from her lips with vehemence, the thought of Emily in trouble setting her blood to boil.

"Innocent?" Samara's brows raised in disbelief before she let out a mirthless chuckle. "Oh Culler… You really have no idea… But you know who really was innocent?" Samara's face darkened as she stepped away from the lamp post and closer to Paige until she was squared in front of her, unnervingly close. "Jamie was innocent."

The name hit Paige like a punch to the gut, winding her without effort. She clenched her jaws painfully and glanced away, unable to meet Samara's cold stare. "I avenged her." She breathed out softly, hesitantly.

"Yes, indeed. But that was a long time ago, and Shana would like to remind you now that the life of one Shark is not worth the number of Devils you have been racking up. Her patience is running thin. Keep your arrows out of our men." Samara's voice held a dangerous timber as she finished the warning, sparing one final hardened look for Paige, then trotted off.

"One Shark…" Paige shook her head as her eyes watered, the painful memories surfacing once again to haunt her, chipping away at her sanity. "One brother…"

The sun was hanging low over the hill on which Shark Base stood and soon it would be dark, Paige realised. Her encounter with Samara was enough to sicken her to her stomach and she felt the intense desire to put some distance between her and the gang's turf. She skipped down the pavement as she glanced around, remaining aware of her surroundings as she always did. She had to, with Sharks and Devils mulling about, and the knowledge that you couldn't always distinguish between the two by mere appearance.

She didn't get very far down the block when her attention was drawn by a scrawny young man scampering down the pavement towards her. "Misty! Mist, stop!" He was yelling anxiously, giving Paige enough of a fright to reach for the knife she kept stashed in the back of her belt. Before she could unsheathe it, however, she felt painful pins and needles pricking into her one leg and moving swiftly up her thigh. Then, an innocent little mewl, Paige glancing down frantically only to be met with a pair of gorgeous sapphire eyes. She grabbed the kitten by the scruff of its neck and it immediately started purring, pawing playfully at Paige's nose as she held it up to eye level.

"Well hello there, pretty. Are you being naughty?" She folded the bundle off grey fluff into her arms and scratched behind her ears, giving the young man enough time to approach them.

"Oh god, thank you so much for grabbing her. She's rather spirited!" The dark-haired male came to stop next to Paige, reaching out to run his hand over Misty's head.

"Much like her owner, I'd imagine. Sort seeks sort." She grinned and handed the kitten over.

"Well, apparently that's exactly why she was chosen as a gift for Maya's new consort. Though I really shouldn't be speaking about this. I'm Lucas." He rambled on nervously, extending a hand to Paige.

"Don't worry, I'm no stranger." Paige smiled and shook his hand briefly. She knew who Maya was. There were very few people who weren't able to recognise the name as the Head Shark. Any thought of Maya, however, brought a sense of sadness to Paige as she always helplessly recalled the times before Maya had reached the top and what things were like back then. That was the life Paige had left behind, the life she was determined to stay away from. "Paige." She offered her name in return, hoping that not too many of her mixed emotions were visible on her face.

"Hey Paige, we're having a bit of a festival here at the base on Saturday." Lucas smirked and rummaged through his pockets until he came up with a blue flier and held it out to Paige to take. "No weapons, tight security, but lots of fun. Maybe you'd like to stop by and visit Misty." He smiled warmly at her now and gave her one final nod before he turned and walked around the corner. Paige let her eyes scan the leaflet in her hands curiously. _'Carnival of Masks'_ the heading read.

Folding the piece of paper, Paige slipped it into her pocket and moved off towards her apartment. What silliness, she thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N – Surprise! Midweek upload. This is a very long chapter, so I decided to cut it in half rather. Enjoy!**

 **The song used at the carnival is one you should all recognise. It's "Secret" by The Pierces, otherwise known as the PLL theme song. I was trying to find a song with a carnie sound to it that also suited the story, and my brilliant fiancée threw that one at me.**

 **Speaking of, Little Wolf Paw, not only is this chapter dedicated to you, but the whole story is as you keep me motivated and club me over the head when I lose faith in myself. I love you, my zing!**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Spencer's heels clicked along the cobbled stone of the courtyard as she skipped from the side of the compound that housed the offices to the other side that held the private quarters of those residing there. She skipped past Toby that was casually leaning against a pillar in the sun, a bowler hat pulled low over his brow and a cigarette dangling from his lips. He smirked at Spencer as she gave him a quick wave, almost distracted from her mission by the delicious appeal he held for her, but determined to move up the stairs to Emily's room. She would have to entertain him later.

"So, I have fairly good news!" She announced as she slipped through the door and closed it behind her once she was inside Emily's living quarters. Things between Emily and Maya would progress slowly and thus they were still some time away from sharing a bed, Emily therefore maintaining her own private space and very grateful for it. Her friends were over often and they rather enjoyed lounging about the compound and even conducting their business from there. Whenever any of them left to attend to one of their sites, they would always be accompanied by at least one Shark so that their safety was ensured at all times. Security around town in general had seemed to improve considerably in the past week.

"I've just finished speaking to all our managers and they have all confirmed that things are going well." Spencer spoke excitedly and with added confidence, hopping around the bedroom as she handed a sheet of paper to each of the other girls. Hanna was stretched out on Emily's bed with her nose in a magazine, while Aria was rolling around on the lush carpet with Misty, teasing the kitten with a piece of string. Emily seemed lost in thought as she sat at her desk with a book, though her eyes were gazing aimlessly out of the window. She has definitely been doing that a lot lately.

"Patronage and profits have gone up miraculously and there've been no reports of anything out of place – no red flags and no restlessness in the neighbourhoods. I also received an update from Ezra that the Sharks patrolling our spaces have not been picking up many Devils, other than a few loafers at the bottom of the totem pole that weren't particularly interested in getting gutted by Maya's men." Spencer sighed happily and plopped down on the divan, her eyes flitting between her friends. "I think, at least for now, we can feel a little more at ease."

"Spencer, you know I trust your judgement completely, but doesn't it just seem like the calm before the storm?" Aria's voice was gentle as it wafted up from the floor, the petite girl easily speaking her concerns, though she was still very much distracted by and in a light mood because of her fluffy playmate.

Hanna dropped her magazine to her lap and leaned forward so that she could get a better view of Aria at the foot of the bed, "I don't think Maya is that stupid. She would anticipate and be prepared for any surprises, right Em?" All three girls turned their eyes towards Emily who took a few long second before realising the conversation had turned to her and required her attention. "Oh, yeah, you're right." She answered, shaking her head as she looked towards Hanna, hoping she had given the right answer. She really needed to keep a leash on her wandering thoughts.

Hanna silently arched a brow at her best friend, but let it slide for now. "Besides, I've also managed to coax some sensitive information out of Caleb." Hanna grinned and the sparkle in her eyes said it all about how exactly she got Caleb to speak to her in confidence. "He said that they are about to start the first phase of their plan to infiltrate and dismantle, or something like that. I don't understand all the jargon and he was a little… distracted," the other girls chuckled and shook their heads knowingly, "but the point is, they're up to something big and I don't think the Devils stand a chance."

"Then it's settled! Time to move onto things somewhat more pleasant." Spencer grinned and arched one brow as she waited for one of her friend's to guess what she was thinking about. As expected, Hanna was the first one to squeal in excitement, "The Carnival! Oh my god guys, we need to sort out our outfits! It's only a few days away!"

As the mood around the room became decidedly excitable, Emily finally let herself become distracted by the chatter of her friends and happily joined in. She couldn't even say with surety why she had been so distracted as most of the time her thoughts merely drifted around in empty space, not even in one specific direction or another. She guessed that it was probably just her subconscious trying to adjust to her new circumstances – her new life. She would be fine in time.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 _Emily's lids were heavy as they hung over her aching eyes, slowly lifting to take in her surroundings. It was dark, but she immediately noticed she was floating and things were not right at all. She shifted slightly, but quickly felt herself tilt and froze after regaining her balance. She was sat precariously on a wooden crate, just large enough to hold her weight, as it bobbed up and down in the black water surrounding her. She gasped in shock and fear, unable to remember how or understand why she was there. Squinting at the water she could barely make out movement that circled closely around her._

 _Shark fins._

 _She started shaking, realising she would soon be dead if she didn't find a way to shore. She looked to the horizon frantically, searching for some sort of exit strategy, but she couldn't see anything. Her breathing became shallow as a whimper escaped her, chest heaving and sweat beading across her forehead and down the back of her neck._

" _Emily…"_

 _She glanced around wildly, trying to find the source of her name. It sounded ethereal and otherworldly as it seemed to drift to her ears upon the whisper of the breeze tickling at her hair._

" _Emily…"_

 _It came again from the stark night all around her. Then suddenly she felt something hit the crate just beneath her, piercing the surface on the side of the wooden box. Looking down she saw that it was an arrow, a sturdy rope tied to its end._

" _Emily, hold on and keep still!" The voice became clearer now, though she had little focus to spare for it as she started moving, tugged along by the force being exercised on the other end of the rope as she was pulled in one direction. Slowly she made her way to shallow water where she could now see her rescuer._

 _It was her, again._

" _It's okay, I've got you."_

 _Strong hands wrapped around her arms and pulled her to her feet onto the wet soil of the shore. Emily looked up at the woman, her breath hitching as she pulled her closer. She was wearing a dark leather hood over her head, obscuring much of her face. Furthermore, she was wearing a black mask that reached from brow to cheek, leaving only her eyes and smile on clear display. Emily's heart hammered in her throat as she watched those dark orbs set on her with immense intensity._

" _You're safe now…"_

 _And she felt safe; safer than she had ever felt in her life; safer than her military parents had made her feel at home; safer than Maya and her entire gang was making her feel at current. Here, in this stranger's arms, Emily felt like nothing could harm her ever again._

" _Come with me…"_

 _The woman took her hand and started leading her into the woods. Gradually, as they trekked deeper, the once gnarled and barren branches became lighter and filled with emerald foliage. They eventually reached a clearing, now surrounded by beautiful tall trees illuminated by tiny little lights that almost seemed like fireflies, swarming everywhere and nowhere at once. The scent of sweet spring flowers drifted about them, accompanied by the bubbly melody of the little stream flowing through the area. Her hooded companion led her to where the grass was thick and as soft as the most luxurious Persian carpet, and then slowly pulled her down to her knees before her._

" _Emily…I've been waiting so long… Where have you been?"_

 _Before Emily could say a word, she found herself lowered onto her back as the beautiful stranger hovered above her, pressing the weight of her athletically toned body into her. Emily could feel her body begin to buzz as little waves of electricity shot through her, accumulating in her lower abdomen where it slowly created an intense heat that spread outward. The dark eyes above her were hypnotic and had Emily entranced as they seemed to communicate the very meaning of the cosmos in silence. Her smile spread slowly from ear to ear and seemed to shine brighter than the sun itself._

" _I've been right here…" Emily husked out in a low tone, finally finding a hint of her voice, but she had no desire to speak. She reached up and stretched her fingers gently along the gorgeous girl's cheeks, beckoning her closer. She quickly obliged and ghosted her lips over Emily's before a sudden inexplicable hunger took over and ravaged them both. The kiss grew deep and desperate quickly as tongues slipped past swollen lips to seek comfort in the other's company, then started duelling for dominance once they craved to taste more and more of each other. Emily let her thighs part, allowing the woman to slide her hips between them as the pair of long legs lifted to wrap around her waist. Emily moaned deeply at the pressure deliciously invading her core and tilted her head back, shivering in pleasure as searing kisses travelled over her jaw and down her throat._

" _I've wanted this… I've wanted you ever since…" Emily swallowed her words and groaned as the hips between her thighs rolled slowly and ground into her, this time setting her very essence ablaze._

" _I'm yours… And you…" The woman paused the ministrations with her teeth up the side of Emily's neck to watch her darkly, eyes now almost black with lust. "You are mine, Emily…"_

 _Emily shivered as gooseflesh spread across her skin, tickled by the thick and heavy atmosphere settling around them. "Who are you?" She whispered and reached upwards again, this time letting her fingers gently shift underneath the mask, pushing it upwards to reveal the woman's face completely._

 _Emily took a sharp intake of breath as she found another mask, this one red and seemingly seared into the woman's very flesh, the edges raw and the rest of it a melted leathery texture. Just above the brows, one on each side, a small devil horn protruded like a thick thorn. Emily's confused expression warped into one of horror, and as she was about to shriek she found one leather clad hand wrapped tightly over her mouth._

" _It's too late now…"_

Shooting up in bed, Emily found herself heaving with the effort to get her breathing back under control. Her night slip was soaked through and she wiped the dampness from her brow as she quickly glanced around the room. It had been a dream. She would be okay. It was just a dream.

Wasn't it?

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Caleb steadily made his way up the set of steel stairs, climbing as softly as he could manage. The lights were out in Paige's apartment that evening, which he considered to be strange since she rather enjoyed being a hermit. He ducked his head into the open window to glance around quickly, finding no sign of Paige. He carefully placed one foot inside and leaned his weight onto it as he pulled his other leg along, but the action was quickly interrupted by a flurry of movement and disabling force being exacted upon his limbs. He found himself flat on his back on the floor, the sharp edge of a knife digging dangerously into the side of his throat.

"Next time I won't pause long enough to recognise you." Paige's voice was low and irritated, said irritation quickly transferred to Caleb as he was met with a swift smack over his head, but at least found himself released from her grip.

"Geez, Culler! On edge much?" He hoisted himself back onto his feet and rubbed uneasily at his throat, while Paige moved to switch the lamp on. It was an old floor lamp that stood next to the couch, the light it cast low and moody – much like Paige herself.

"What do you want, Cay?" Paige sighed heavily and fetched them each a beer from her fridge before collapsing onto the windowsill, Caleb making himself comfortable on her rickety couch.

"What? A Guy can't check in on his friend without receiving the third degree… and a death threat?" He shook his head as he popped the cap from his bottle and took a deep swig, thankful for the refreshing taste of the amber liquid as he had just finished some business rounds and was rather parched.

Paige merely shrugged and took a sip of her own drink, staring hard at her friend.

"Come on Paige, you know I worry about you and your insistence on leading this life of solitude. I just…"

"Cay! If this is another attempt to make a Shark out of me, you know I don't want to hear it." She quickly interrupted him and sighed deeply, forcing a smirk onto her lips a few seconds later. "I took a walk the other day, in the light of day no less! Made a new friend and everything." She wasn't sure whether she was referring facetiously to Samara, foolishly to Lucas, or stupidly to Misty the kitten. She didn't care which, she just wanted Caleb off her back.

"Oh yeah? What's her name?" Caleb waggled his brows suggestively, causing Paige to snort, beer nearly pouring from her nose. Such a simple teasing question, and yet the face it conjured in her mind made her heart skip a beat.

Emily. Her name is Emily.

Paige fidgeted and started peeling the label from her bottle, suddenly nervous as she glanced at Caleb. "Do you know… this girl I bumped into… she was… I don't really know… I think she might be a Shark… never mind…" Paige didn't often stutter or stumble over her words, quickly grabbing Caleb's attention.

"Oh, so you're too good a human to be a Shark, but taking one to bed is okay?" Caleb laughed easily, enjoying the effect his scrutinizing gaze was having on his friend.

"I'm not sleeping with any Shark, Cay!" Paige spat defensively, but rather too vehemently as it only seemed to spur Caleb on further.

"But you'd like to! What's her name, Paige?" He ground her again with that boyish grin.

Paige shut her eyes tightly and sighed, breathing out a low, "Emily…"

Caleb's eyes went wide – almost comically so – as his jaw went slack. He quickly regained his focus and shook his head fervently. "No, Paige, not a chance. Emily? Emily Fields? You've got to be shitting me…"

Paige bit her bottom lip and only increased the pressure when she noticed that Caleb's face had gone solemn. She quirked a brow curiously. She should have known. She had already known, but Caleb's reaction simply reiterated the fact that Emily was clearly bad news. She shrugged her shoulders again and went back to her drink, not feeling the need, or the comfort, to speak further.

"Paige… I'm sorry, but you should know that…" He paused, realisation suddenly hitting him like a ton of bricks. He jumped to his feet and waved a finger at her, "It was you! You were the vigilante that saved her! Oh my god… How did I not realise this before?" He smiled in disbelief and slowly lowered himself back to the couch, watching as Paige's cheeks burned a rosy colour.

"It's good to know I'm spoken of with fondness…" Her voice was reticent and quickly drowned out by another sip from her bottle.

"Are you kidding me? You're a legend. Literally. No one knows who you are or where you came from. You've been made to sound like this shadowy superhero around the compound. It's impressive." Caleb raised his bottle to her in a congratulatory fashion.

"And I know that you'll respect my wishes to keep it that way, yes?" Paige replied in a more stern tone. The last thing she needed or wanted was undue attention.

"Your skills are going to waste, Paige." He shook his head sadly.

"Drop it!" She barked at Caleb angrily and diverted her gaze out the window.

"Okay okay, but please do me one favour? Just come to the carnival on Saturday, have a look at what the Sharks are like and what we're about. Or just come to spend some time with me." He inhaled deeply as if he was mulling something over, before finally continuing carefully, "Or come to see Emily. I know she still wants to give her thanks."

Paige knew how she wanted thanks to be given to her. Despite her better judgement, every time the woman's name or mere memory came up all she wanted to do was chase it. She simply could not seem to shed the woman from her skin.

"I don't think it's a good idea…" Paige drifted off thoughtfully. She should stay away from Emily. Clearly there was nothing there for her and being close to her in any way would just be torture for Paige.

"Just think about it, please?" Caleb stood and placed his empty bottle on the coffee table before moving to stand next to his friend, one hand coming to rest on her shoulder in comfort. "If anything, just come have some fun." He patted her lightly and climbed out the window to make his way home.

Paige sighed as she moved to her feet and padded slowly to her kitchen, dropping the two empty bottles in the bin before grabbing a second for herself. She was caught between a rock and a hard place, unable to decide the victor between her head and her heart. She was dying to see Emily again. The girl had placed some sort of spell on Paige that she could not shake or forget. She even found herself unable to really mourn her slipping self-control.

 _Emily. Emily Fields._

Paige could feel her heart beat faster while, simultaneously, her blood boiled with aggravation. She didn't know what to make of her emotions. She didn't know how to cope with her newfound desires. It had been a long time since Paige felt the irresistible pull of another woman. There had been the casual dalliance here and there, but she had not been able to let her guard down ever since…

 _Jamie._

Paige scoffed and downed about half the liquid in her bottle in a mere three gulps. She had been a child then. What did she know about love or relationships or commitment at that time? She knew a lot about being stubborn and reckless, that's for sure. However, pure and sincere emotion? This was a foreign concept.

Something that was not a foreign concept, however, was absolute heart wrenching pain. She had lost Jamie because of their involvement with the Devils and the Sharks and the intricacies of the situation and where the blame and responsibility belonged ran as deep as the Grand Canyon – a perilous trench sliced across her heart. She couldn't bare the same thing again. She was scared.

She was terrified.

Paige took a deep breath and wandered over to the mirror hanging on the wall next to the kitchen, slowly lifting her gaze to stare hard at her reflection in the cracked surface before her.

 _You saved her before, she may need you again…_

As she stared deeply into her own eyes, she could almost make out Emily's eyes instead. The woman was ingrained not only into her mind, but seemingly into her very soul. Paige could not escape her.

Turning away from the mirror she grabbed a bag that had been resting on the small counter separating the kitchen from the lounge and went back to sit on the couch. Emptying the bag on the coffee table, she stared hard at the outfit before her. She picked up the soft black leather material and let it unfurl completely, studying the hooded vest before her. It was typically a piece of clothing that hunters in fantasy stories would wear as they stalked through the shadows of the forest. She placed the item down and studied the next, her fingers running slowly over the soft velvet material of the black mask sitting on the table. It was just enough to cover her face from her brows to her cheekbones, the edges not contoured but rather holding complex designs, flares and spikes.

 _What am I doing…?_

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 _Got a secret._

 _Can you keep it?_

 _Swear this one you'll save._

 _Better lock it in your pocket_

 _Taking this one to the grave._

 _If I show you then I know you won't tell what I said,_

' _Cause two can keep a secret if one of them is dead._

It was about 3 pm when Paige walked up to the compound that was now set up and dressed up for the Carnival of Masks. Even though the sun was still shining brightly, the Carnival was stitched together with dark colours – deep blues, purples, maroons and greens, for the most part. Tapestries hung against the walls just inside the courtyard and big cardboard cut-outs of gnarled trees stood tall between carnie wagons of all shapes and sizes. Booths were set up under muted tarps and tents while some typical small rides were scattered in between. Most people were dressed to match, wearing dark hoods, hats, coats, corsets, masks and painted faces. Over the speakers, hidden around the large square behind decorations, there eased the typical creepy carnival music, though noticeably with a more modern twist. The atmosphere was both delightful and eerie and one had to stop and wonder whether it was Halloween yet.

After turning in her weapons at the security check by the gate, Paige fixed her mask firmly and pulled her hood down, then easily slipped into the crowd, blending perfectly but not noticing the pair of eyes following her from a safe distance.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 _Why do you smile like you've been told a secret?_

 _Now you're telling lies 'cause you have sworn to keep it._

 _But no one keeps a secret._

 _No one keeps a secret._

"I want it! Caleb, please!" Hanna pouted at her companion on the other side of the courtyard where the gents and ladies were gathered together in front of a couple of stalls where the biggest, fluffiest stuffed animals could be won. This particular toy that had Hanna bouncing like a 6-year old was a cuddly panda bear about half her size. Caleb felt a blush creep over his cheeks as four pairs of female eyes drilled into him with expectant looks. He sighed and rolled his own eyes, then turned towards the carnie behind the table and handed him a few dollars, receiving five rings in return that needed to be tossed and hooked around milk bottles balanced in a hazardous way. He managed to hook the first four rings, but failed on the fifth and could not procure the panda. Hanna smacked him on the shoulder and pointed towards it, silently insisting that he keeps trying until he succeeds. "Or that panda won't be the only thing you're _not_ getting tonight…" She glared, causing their friends to burst out in laughter.

As they ambled along Emily suddenly found her eyes covered from behind by a soft pair of hands, a whispered "Guess who" spoken into her left ear. Her smile spread wide as she caught the scent that accompanied the hands, the sweet lavender air unmistakably Maya. She turned in her arms to face the darker woman and gently wrapped her arms around Maya's neck, "Just the person I was dying to see." Maya chuckled and stepped back, only to let Emily's arms drop so that she could grab her hand. "Could I interest you in some… cotton candy?" Emily grinned like a little girl and nodded eagerly, allowing Maya to lead her off.

"Could I interest you in a romantic ride for two on the Big Wheel?" Ezra arched his brows at Aria and held out his arm, the short girl taking hold tightly as they moved off together, leaving Spencer and Toby to stare after their friends that have abandoned them. "How about a fresh start?" Toby asked gently as he turned to a sceptical Spencer that stood watching him with her arms crossed. She soon smirked, however, and looked over her shoulder off to one corner of the square where a rather large group of people have accumulated. "Only if we can start in the House of Horrors…"

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 _Why when we do our darkest deeds_

 _Do we tell?_

 _They burn in our brains,_

 _Become a living hell,_

' _Cause everyone tells._

 _Everyone tells._

Paige stared at her reflection before her, mesmerized by its distorted shape. Somehow it seemed fitting. Somehow it managed to suit the recesses of her mind perfectly. She stepped closer in the dark room and placed her hand upon the cool surface, staring deeply into her own eyes. With the black hood and mask, her eyes as well seemed nearly black. For a second she didn't recognise them. There was something about the atmosphere surrounding her now that made her feel disconnected from herself. There was a voice in the back of her mind that sounded like someone else's.

"You look like a lost puppy, Culler." This time it was a different voice coming from somewhere behind her, but when she turned to find its source she was met with an array of reflections – some hers, and some another figure. It would be typically Samara's style to confront her in the House of Mirrors. She did like playing games.

"What are you doing here? You really do like playing with fire." Paige walked from one mirror to the next, trying to find the actual person.

Samara's reflections surrounding the room moved and disappeared, before reappearing in different mirrors. She chuckled from somewhere in the darkness. "I'm here for you, Paigey. Didn't you miss me?"

Paige clenched her jaw and moved on a different direction, watching her own image flit past several surfaces. "What do you want with me? And what's stopping me from handing you over?"

"Tsk tsk, a threat? You can't afford to make those. Your credit has run out. Besides, I know your conscience won't allow you to do that." Samara finally stepped up to Paige with a smile, the mirrors around them now reflecting a mix of the two. "So, what are _you_ doing here? You're getting awfully cosy with these fishes. You better make sure you don't soon find yourself sleeping with them…"

Paige balled her fists at her sides, staring back hard at the blonde before her. Samara wasn't even properly disguised. She wore a doll-like dress of red chiffon and black lace, her mask nothing but a veil cascading down from her tiny top hat, her features still fairly visible through the netting. Paige knew Samara could take liberties around Shark Base as she was unknown to them as anything more than a commoner. That was her speciality – blending in and spying. " _That_ was a threat, and I really don't appreciate the sentiment. I don't have to justify myself to you, Sam."

"Perhaps, but if you're not careful, you'll find yourself having to justify a lot of things to Maya." Samara winked at Paige and pulled a black and white photo from her snug and tight-fitting brassiere, handing it to her. Paige studied the candid shot closely which had obviously been taken from a distance with a powerful lens. It showed Emily in all her gorgeous glory and radiating smile, wrapped up in the arms of who Paige knew to be the Head Shark – Maya. A cold sweat suddenly ran down Paige's spine, realising that this was what Caleb's objection was about. Emily wasn't just a Shark. She was the Lady of the House.

"Aww Paige, did I just hear your heart break?" Samara feigned sympathy as she watched Paige still staring hard at the photograph, her hand shaking.

"I'd need to have a heart first." Paige scoffed and lowered the photo to her side, levelling her gaze with Samara's once more. "Can I leave now without you following me?" Paige was visibly upset and dangerously irritated, her emotions written all across her face. Even if that was not the case, though, it was still clear that Samara was annoyingly perceptive and Paige feared that the woman might use this against her.

"I can't stay too far away from you. You're much too valuable to my cause…" Samara answered vaguely and started circling Paige, the fingers from one hand trailing along the base of the trembling woman's neck. "Not to mention I know that you do, in fact, have a heart." Samara paused and leaned in closer, her lips brushing against Paige's ear as she whispered, "But it's a wild heart… The kind of heart that's only meant to love demons and be loyal to devils."

With these final words Samara was gone, once again slipping into the darkness, leaving Paige to stare at the wreckages of her own reflections.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N – This took much longer than I had hoped. I'm a bit of a fickle writer and if I don't feel completely inspired and in the zone, I tend to not write at all. I go through my moods, but I am still interested in continuing this fic – as long as you guys are still interested in reading it!**

 **I stopped with the song lyrics in this chapter as apparently it is now against 's rules for fanfics, even if you do give credit. Instead I provide some poetry of my own at the end.**

 **One last thing – I do give a lot of clues throughout the whole story that allude both to Paige's past and the future that is to come. Have fun trying to figure it out! Colour also plays a strong symbolic role in this fic, so pay attention!**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"With all due respect, Maya, how are we supposed to help if we don't know anything?" Toby was somewhat annoyed as he took a swig from his metal cup before placing it down hard on the wooden table. Maya and her three officers were gathered in the reserved corner of the beer tent for a small impromptu meeting while the ladies were off having fun.

"You know exactly what I need you guys to know, Toby. But it is vital to the success of this plan to keep certain things to myself." Maya's tone was stern, but not hostile, as she kept eye contact with Toby. A small sympathetic smile appeared and she touched his forearm before continuing, "I know that you're concerned, but this plan is solid and I'll keep all three of you in the know as much as possible."

"I understand Toby's uneasiness as I feel it myself. But we trust you, and we trust each other, and that will be the difference." Ezra added his voice of reason into the mix and glanced over to Caleb who nodded in agreement before he spoke, "Just promise that if we have questions that you will be forthcoming. As much as possible, at least."

Maya nodded at her men. "The agent has been secured and placed. Right now we continue all operations as normal, while all the necessary information is streamed our way. We're off to a good start. The one reason I know we can enjoy this day of celebration is because the informant has determined that the Devils are biding their time and will thus not be a threat right now. It's a good day, boys. Let's relax and have some fun." With that final word of reassurance she lifted her cup to her men for a toast.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

After her encounter with Samara, Paige had needed to think. Finding the crowd suddenly rather stifling, she now found herself in the garden where it was more peaceful, though she was not entirely alone. Her perch was the low bow of one of the great twisting trees from where she could observe those around her, but still hide away enough to avoid any forced interaction. Perhaps Caleb was right – she was a bit of a hermit. People were the problem, in her mind. They were untrustworthy, selfish and often cruel. The only person she had found herself mildly fond of for the past few years was Caleb, though she was more than simply mildly fond of him. He was like a brother to her as they had grown up together and she had no other family that she could rely on.

And then there was Emily. This time, however, the woman wasn't merely in her thoughts. She was standing a few feet away and looking like a gypsy goddess. Her dress was a flowing midnight blue and was accented with ribbons and lace of deep maroon, her bodice the same colour and snug enough to allow a taunting view of the softest caramel cleavage at the bottom of a plunging neckline. Her raven hair fell in soft curls down her shoulders, framing her beautiful features and matching her dark chocolate eyes perfectly. Even though they were as dark as they were, they seemed to shine in that moment as she laughed with her friends, the sound music to Paige's ears. The lonely figure felt her mouth run dry as she became entranced in the sight before her.

Paige's eyes followed Emily closely as the group of girls made their way through the garden off to the end where the maze had been set up with large frames covered in lush growth. Once they disappeared inside Paige dropped down from the tree and followed at a safe distance, unable to resist temptation.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Emily slowly made her way around one corner after the other, the maze engulfing her like some sort of magical forest. It was getting increasingly dark outside, though the maze seemed to be illuminated gently from within by little twinkling lights hidden between the foliage. It was utterly enchanting, though perhaps just a little unnerving. She had gotten separated from her friends and though she could hear their muffled voices elsewhere between the tall walls, she couldn't seem to find them. There was no rush and no panic. They felt like children on a charmed adventure.

Then a small bell chimed next to the dark beauty's head. Emily turned to find the small metal object stuck between the growth up one maze wall and reached for it, the silver toy jingling again as her fingers touched it. In pulling it towards her, she realised that it was tied to a red string and that a small note was attached. It simply read, _'Come find me…'_ She realised it led off into the maze. She grinned curiously and gave it another soft yank, causing it to chime again, so she started following the string further into the maze, gathering it in her hands as she went.

It twisted around corners and bends, strung high and low, taught and slack, seemingly forever winding further and further into this twisting forest. Eventually she reached a small clearing that seemed to be the end of the red line, though continued to gather it gingerly in her hands right to where it stopped – tied to the tip of an arrow that was jutting from the bark of a tall tree in the middle of the small area.

Emily's heart leapt and started racing as she curled her fingers around the arrow, realising exactly who she was dealing with. She honestly wasn't sure if she'd ever see the woman again, but now that the possibility had presented itself, Emily couldn't help but revel in the tingling sensation running through her body. Sucking in a deep breath, she held it as she listened carefully and felt the air move around her, then smiled as she exhaled, her eyes never leaving the arrow. "I never got to properly thank you…" She spoke into the darkness and waited, hoping she wasn't mistaken.

A few long, tense moments passed as Emily stood still and waited, before finally a leather clad hand wrapped around the arrow before her and removed it from the tree. Emily turned around slowly to watch the mysterious woman, her breath catching in her throat as she took in her appearance: dark leather hood obscuring most of her visage, the rest covered by a black mask, except for that thrilling smirk that was tugging around the corners of her lips. Emily immediately had a sense of déjà vu as she watched the other woman closely and breathed in her earthy scent. The sense of familiarity she felt was both thrilling and terrifying.

"There's an Eastern myth that has something interesting to say about destiny…" Paige spoke gently as she took the end of the red string that was tied to the arrow and proceeded to tie it around her own wrist, then moved to take the rest of the string from Emily's hands and tie the end with the bell around one of Emily's wrists as she continued speaking. "The story goes that at birth the gods tie a red string around the ankles of those who are destined to meet, fated to share their lives or play a significant part in the other's life. Apparently it can't be broken."

Finally the hooded figure looked up at the beauty before her and captured her gaze in a steady, lasting and lingering look of deep curiosity and electric anticipation. The few seconds of silence hung thick in the charged air about them and each was sure the other could hear their heart drumming against their ribs, threatening to break free and reach out for the other. If there was a connection between them before, it was completely cemented now and an undeniable force that spoke in silent volumes for the both of them in this moment.

"What's your name?" Emily finally breathed.

"Whatever you want it to be…" Paige purred.

"What's your name?" Emily persisted.

"Romeo. Anthony. Rhett. Pip. Heathcliff. Mr Darcy. Take your pick." Paige grinned, feeling a hint of her charismatic courage starting to flow back into her veins. As dour as she tended to be, it seemed that Emily could bring out the Paige that she felt she really was, the Paige she thought she had lost so many years ago, the Paige she wanted to be.

"So you expect me to just continue to play your damsel in distress?" Emily cocked a brow suspiciously, but watched as Paige laughed off the notion.

"On the contrary, the women in these stories are mostly stubborn, brave, smart and sassy, even ferocious. I can see that same fire burning in your eyes. You can be your own hero. Make me your sidekick and I'll serve your every whim…"

Emily blushed profusely, the colour of her cheeks now fitting the colour Paige apparently saw in her eyes. If there was fire in them, Emily thought it purely because this woman was standing so close to her. Her stomach exploded into a flutter of butterflies at the thought of this gorgeous creature sticking close by her side, willing to do whatever Emily pleased.

"I don't want your servitude." Emily started feeling dizzy from their proximity and moved slightly closer to the other woman. She knew in the back of her mind somewhere that this was definitely not appropriate, that this was definitely not a situation she should be entertaining. However, there was no way to prevent it as her body seemed to act upon its own accord, her hand drifting slowly upwards to settle on Paige's collarbone.

Paige shuddered imperceptibly at the touch and added one of her own to the mix, her right hand ghosting over Emily's hip and sliding gently onto the small of her back as she stepped even closer, spinning them tighter into their little cocoon. "Then what do you want? Name it, and it is yours…"

Emily paused and leaned her head forward until she could feel her own warm breath mingling with Paige's, tense static shooting between their lips and filling the small space that still lingered. Paige was almost sure a kiss would follow, so she allowed her eyes to slide nearly completely closed as she waited, but instead of feeling skin on her lips, she felt more hot breath as Emily spoke. "I want your name…"

Paige couldn't help but grin, feeling outsmarted by the beauty now trapped in her grasp, and finally relented. "My name is Paige."

" _Emily! Em! Where are you?"_ The women could hear the calls echo in the distance, realising that their few minutes of collecting heat together was about to come to an end.

"I have to go…" Emily started backing away regretfully, though Paige was quick to take her hand to stop her from slipping too far out of her reach.

"I want to see you again." Paige whispered her wish to Emily and though her voice was soft, her tone was confident. There was just something far too magnetic about Emily. Something fateful and serendipitous that Paige could not, would not, ignore.

"I don't think that's…" Emily started as she looked around nervously, but was quickly cut off when Paige replied mid-sentence, "It's a great idea." She let her best charming smile spread easily across her lips as she dipped her head slightly while keeping her eyes locked with Emily's. Paige didn't really have a good reason for why it was apparently a good idea for them to meet up again, so she could not offer one to support her statement. She was hoping she could simply entice Emily into agreeing by giving her the look that has afforded her success a few times in the past with other ladies.

"I can't… I'm sorry." Emily shook her head sadly and pulled her hand from Paige's grip. Of course – Emily would not be like any other lady Paige has ever come across. "Thank you… Paige, for saving my life. I owe you everything, I know, but I'm afraid I have nothing to give." She tilted her head to one side as she watched the beautiful hooded woman before her as if trying to sear her image into memory. This was not an easy decision for her to make and saying no to Paige was like taking a punch to the gut.

"You can't even spare just a bit of your time?" Paige asked, trying her best to keep the hopeful, almost pleading tone out of her voice and maintain her cool air of confidence.

" _Em? Come on! We're getting hungry!"_ Emily could make out the sound of Hanna's voice and winced at how close it sounded now. "I'm afraid that my time for exciting dalliances is all out." She smirked with a quick glint in her eye as she backed away from Paige.

Paige in return raised a brow and stepped closer again, grinning almost from ear to ear, "Who said anything about a dalliance? My intentions could have been pure, for all you know!"

Emily paused and scoffed in amusement, "Are they now? Innocent, I mean…"

Paige chuckled lowly and shook her head as she took another step towards Emily, "Not a chance…"

Then Emily noticed the sharp blade glinting in Paige's hand, the memory of the unsettling dream she had crashing down on her with force. Before she could muster a scream though, she watched Paige use the knife to simply cut the red string hanging from her wrist. She had forgotten that they were still tied together.

"However, I don't mind a bit of a chase." Paige smirked up at Emily again while poking the small bell that now dangled from the dark beauty's wrist and then added, "I promise I'm quite the hunter…"

"Emily, seriously!" Emily spun around as she heard Spencer's voice this time, only a few feet behind her, her heart throbbing in her throat all from the scare she just received from Paige, the possibility that she had just gotten caught with Paige, and the undeniable fact that a part of her wished that if she was getting caught for anything, it should have been with her legs wrapped around the hooded woman while being held up against and ground into the tree at her side. Needless to say that there was a storm of emotion and sensation raging within her chest and her stomach.

"Spence! I… uhhh… this is…" She started stammering once Spencer came into view and turned around to look to Paige for some sort of excuse, only to find that the other woman had disappeared without a trace like a shadow in the night. There was no arrow, not even a footprint. All that remained as a reminder of Paige's visit was the string bracelet with its bell around Emily's wrist, as well as the rest of the string discarded in the grass, but trailing off into another dark corner.

Emily smiled to herself.

 _Paige…_

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Paige found herself once again ambling through the crowd of people that now seemed to be thinning out somewhat as the night wore on and the atmosphere grew colder. The setting was still delightful despite the temperature and the drop in energy. People were gathered in groups around small campfires and torches lit most of the courtyard now, giving off a warm glow that engulfed friends, family and lovers alike.

At one end some space had been cleared for a dance floor and couples were sweeping from side to side in sync to the music offered by a band that had set up earlier. Sticking to the shadows on the outer rim of the courtyard, Paige strained her eyes as she tried to catch a glimpse of the gypsy woman that had cast a spell on her in the most delicious way.

Instead of the gypsy of her dreams, Paige suddenly found herself face to face with an actual Gypsy fortune teller, the older and brightly decorated woman giving her a knowing smile. Paige frowned.

"Can I help you?"

The woman merely shook her head and pulled a card from her bodice that she handed over to Paige. As Paige studied the object in her hands, she realised it was one of those Tarot cards – this one containing a beautiful young man with a golden chalice in his one hand. At the bottom it read: Page of Cups.

"But perhaps I can help you, Paige…" The woman smiled and turned to walk off between the stalls to a multi-coloured tent a few feet away. She gave one more glance at Paige over her shoulder before pulling the unzipped entrance to the side and then indicated for Paige to follow her.

"You're kidding me, right?" Paige mumbled to herself as she glanced around before reluctantly sauntering over to the tent. She gave one more glance over her shoulder, making sure no one in particular was watching her, before she finally entered. The inside was warm and more luxurious than Paige had expected as she ran her hand along the fine silk drops cascading from the ceiling of the tent to the floor. The carpets beneath her feet were plush and patterned intricately with curious designs and the seats she slowly approached were made up of velvet cushions in rich maroons and purples, made to seem even more vibrant due to the light cast from the lanterns scattered about.

The Gypsy woman was seated here on the floor, watching Paige curiously as she approached and indicated for her to take a seat herself.

"Look, no offense, but I don't really…" Paige started without sitting down, but was quickly silenced with a raised hand. The hand then further seemed to insist that Paige lower herself onto the cushions. Paige relented and dropped to her knees.

" _The red line has been cast_

 _The fish has been caught_

 _But the fisherman is the prey._

 _The huntsman has bled, and shall once again_

 _When the page wears the Devil's horns_

 _And the demon shows its fins."_

The Gypsy's eyes glazed over as she spoke slowly, though she seemed to be staring directly at Paige, who in turn thought that not only was this utterly ridiculous, but it was starting to creep her the hell out.

"Look, lady…" Paige muttered slowly as she started shifting to get up again, "Thanks for giving me nightmares for the rest of the week, but I think I'll go now…"

"I know about your nightmares…" The woman's eyes were back to normal as she too raised herself to her feet. "You dream about the dead. You dream about devil blood on your one hand and shark blood on the other…"

Paige froze, her face screwing into a mixture of terror, guilt and anguish. "How'd you…" Her voice cracked.

"They told me." The woman smiled, yet it seemed more reassuring than anything.

"Who?" Paige managed to barely choke out.

"Jamie… Zack… I am capable of communicating with the other side, my dear." She reached out for Paige in an attempt to comfort the obviously terrified girl, but it was a second too late as Paige bolted from the tent.

She barely managed to make it around the back corner of the tent before her stomach forced its contents up Paige's throat, leaving her to literally spill her guts about her past.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"Culler? Is that you?" Paige heard the familiar voice of her best friend and groaned, not in the mood to get a verbal lashing for being at the carnival without having let him know that she would be. She had removed her hood and her mask after emptying her stomach and now found herself slumped over on a log perch between the booths, trying to stop her head from spinning.

"What are you doing here? I thought you said you weren't coming. Are you alone?" He spoke excitedly, happy to see her, though slowed down and placed a tentative hand on her shoulder when he took in her appearance which seemed to be paler than usual. "Are you okay?"

"The fortune teller is a real peach…" Paige grinned up at him, before abruptly dropping her smile and swinging her hand to smack him in the gut. "And don't call me that, especially not here, okay?" It was a stern demand and Caleb knew it was a good idea to heed it right away, or he might find himself missing a limb soon enough.

"Ah, Jasmine. We've met. She said something to Hanna that made her think I was cheating on her. I spent about an hour putting out that fire." Caleb chuckled and shook his head in amusement.

"Hanna, eh?" Paige arched a brow at him, teasing him about his love life never getting old for her.

"You know what? Come on! You're joining us for a drink!" He swiftly grabbed Paige by the arm and lifted her onto her feet and soon he was dragging her off to the beer tent despite her rather vocal protests. He hated how she always kept to herself and made no effort in meeting new people or making and maintaining friends. Relationships were even more alien.

Before Paige even knew what was happening she had been shoved down into a chair at a table filled with unfamiliar faces and flying conversations. Another moment later and she had a broad mug of beer in her hand. One more second later and she realised she was staring into the eyes of Emily across from her.

Paige blinked in surprise and confusion. It must have been a mix of the shock delivered by the fortune teller, the getting sick to her stomach and her body seemingly going into shock as well, before being flung around by Caleb, but it was almost as if the world had been moving at a fast forward pace… until that very moment. All of a sudden things started to move and progress in slow motion and Paige could notice it all and drink it in at the same time. Her senses, however, were overloaded by one person only.

 _Emily…_

Paige studied the way in which her locks of hair waved gently in the evening breeze and tickled at her tanned cheek as if caressing it with the softest touch. She watched as her lips twitched slightly as if they wanted to stretch outward into the broadest smile they could reach, but gently held themselves back, increasing the depth of the dimples on their outskirts. Paige observed those deep chocolate eyes that seemed to swirl with such richness and luxury that they made Paige feel like a street urchin in comparison.

In the dim, warm glow of the flickering flames around them, Emily looked like an absolute goddess.

Somewhere in the air around them Paige could only somewhat make out the sound of Caleb introducing her to the group, but it wasn't until Emily finally smiled gently at her and greeted her softly, as the others had, that she snapped out of her daze. She quickly glanced from person to person and took in their names and faces. There was the Hanna that Caleb had mentioned sitting to Emily's right, while on Emily's left resided Maya, the sight of whom made Paige wriggle slightly uncomfortably in her chair. There were two more girls and another two guys, only one of whom she recognised vaguely as the man she had left Emily with after the night they had met.

Paige felt awkward. These people seemed nice enough, but if she had to be honest, she really just had no interest in them right now when all she could see was Emily. Even pretending to be interested in their conversations was getting more and more taxing as the hour dragged on.

Emily, on the other hand, felt like she was burning up from the inside out. She was acutely aware of Paige's intent gaze on her and found it difficult to avert her own stare from the beautiful rebel, especially now that there was no mask or hood to obscure the view. However, next to her Maya had her hand wrapped around one of Emily's and was idly fiddling with her fingers as she partook in the conversation, seemingly about politics, that was being bounced between her, Spencer and Ezra. At the other end of the table Caleb and Toby were discussing muscle cars, while Aria and Hanna on Emily's other side were talking about the pros and cons of permanent makeup.

"Have you tried the maze, Paige? It's quite magical." Emily spoke in an amused tone as she addressed the woman across the table from her, discreetly observing the fact that everyone around them was too busy engaging in their own conversations to really pay attention to theirs.

"I did, actually…"Paige smiled and seemed to relax a bit as her full attention now settled on Emily, only lifting her mug of beer to her lips intermittently. "I met the most beautiful girl in there."

Emily raised a brow, "Is that so? Well, where is she now? Were you not successful in winning her admiration?"

Paige shook her head and scoffed, "We were interrupted before we could exchange details. But I'll find her again… It's inevitable."

"What exactly is inevitable?" Emily gave a curious look as she leaned forward slightly, now very interested in Paige's answer.

Paige leaned forward to match her and lowered her voice, "The confrontation between our souls…"

Emily's breath caught in her throat and she could feel her cheeks glow warm. She was acutely aware of how Paige's hands seemed to slide closer to her own on top of the table, but never quite reaching; how Paige's eyes seemed to move down to watch Emily's lips, but never lingering too long; the way that the vein up the one side of Paige's throat seemed to throb slightly as the taught skin over it trembled. Most of all, Emily was acutely, painfully aware of how Paige's words twisted the deepest recesses of her lower abdomen into tight knots that were just begging to be untied.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 _When eternity speaks_

 _It may be a whisper_

 _It may be nothing but mere splinter_

 _Drawn from the eye of Father Time_

 _But trees are splinters too_

 _Tied with hope and love and dreams_

 _That grow into giants_

 _From nothing but the whisperings of seeds_

 _And when eternity speaks_

 _To ignore would be a fallacy_

 _When the secret's in the telling_

 _Dreams turn to reality_

 _And hearts must listen as they do beat_

 _And beat to listen to speak_

 _To not deny but to declare_

 _The particles of passion drifting through air_

 _During the hour of the dead_

 _These particles must be spread_

 _To ignite the cinders_

 _Between two lovers_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N – Damn kids! Long ass chapter! Okay, so, I had this discussion with my wife (and editor) about how the setting, time-wise, is a little confusing. Is it modern era? Is it Victorian? What's with the strange mix in speech patterns? Yadda yadda… The deal is that the story is MODERN, but with Victorian influences, in the same way Steampunk is a genre or Baz Luhrman remade Romeo and Juliet. I like to mix things up. So we have guns and cars and technology, so we're modern, but sometimes we like to exaggerate our speech and force some Victorian undertones. Is that okay?**

 **Cool. Enjoy!**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Emily sighed.

She felt rather spent after the eventful day and evening that she had. The carnival had drawn to a complete close about an hour before and the moon was already sinking at the late hour – or early, depending on the way you look at it. The compound was silent as the guests had all gone and the tenants were mostly passed out drunk in their quarters.

Emily was not much intoxicated, though she felt about as contemplative as a philosophical drunk as she leaned onto the arm rest of the divan in her room. Her fingers fiddled idly with the red string and small bell still secured around her one wrist, her eyes studying every inch carefully as if it might offer up some interesting piece of information, something more for Emily to consider, something more regarding Paige.

As she whispered the name into the quiet air around her, she could feel slow goose bumps pop up across her skin as if she had been touched by the gentlest of breezes. Briefly she wished that she could have felt the touch of Paige instead. The moment was fleeting, however, before she chastised herself again for her wandering thoughts and her wayward desires.

The inkling of a thought of Maya popped into the back of her mind, but this was even more fleeting and seemingly purely out of guilt before her thoughts once again returned to the rogue, unbidden. Emily allowed herself some indulgence and relaxed backward further in her plush seat as she conjured up the image of Paige before her eyes. Emily reached out her hand and touched the cool space before her, empty as it may be, while in her mind's eye she traced the pad of her thumb over Paige's brow, then down the scar stretching across one cheek. She wondered how the rebel had acquired it, though judging by her questionable hobbies, Emily couldn't really be surprised. She wondered whether there were any other scars on her body. She wondered exactly what that seemingly perfectly toned body looked like beneath all that leather and denim. What it would feel like underneath her eager hands. Would her muscles flex as Emily dragged her hands along the smooth skin?

Emily blushed and sighed. She knew she was playing a dangerous game. As much as she tried to justify this moment to herself by arguing that it's harmless enough to let her imagination go, deep down she realised that indulging in her fantasies in this way could easily pique her curiosity enough to encourage her to seek it out. She did not know whether she'd be strong enough to turn away from such an opportunity.

Fate sure had a questionable sense of humour.

Something made a clicking noise against Emily's window and though she didn't notice the first time, her attention was caught the second time around. By the time she had moved from her position, there was a third click. Realising that whatever was going on was intentional, she was quick to her feet and was carefully creeping over to the window to figure things out by the time the fourth click came.

Opening the large Tuscan-style window, she peered down into the darkness warily, gasping as she spotted the object of her recent obsessions. One floor down was Paige with her hood drawn and her mask secured, presumably to hide herself more successfully in the shadows surrounding the villa. It was her smile that really gave her away – wide and beautiful and shining with promise.

"What are you doing here?" Emily whisper-shouted down at her, trying her best to sound stern and aggravated, though there was no way to deny the current racing of her heart and the swarm of butterflies fluttering around her stomach.

"I couldn't sleep." Paige shrugged casually before reaching for the thick vines that crept up the wall beneath the window. "May I?"

"This isn't some Shakespearian love story! You are not Romeo and I am not your Juliet!" If it was possible, Emily's heart beat even faster. She was caught between feeling terrified at getting caught, and feeling intense exhilaration at the situation and the possibility of what was to come.

Most of all, Emily felt alive.

"Of course not!" Paige whispered in return as she started ascending the vines none the less, careful not to slip and make a fool of herself. Two minutes later she was crawling over the windowsill as Emily stepped back to allow her some room to enter. "That would be so cliché…" Paige grinned again, a little out of breath, but more so at her own swarming insides than at her physical undertaking.

"You're crazy…" Emily breathed out as Paige took a slow but confident step towards her.

"And you're… breath taking…" Paige whispered as she reached for Emily's hand, smiling as she saw the red string still secured around her wrist. Slowly she brought her hand upward and leaned down slightly to place the gentlest of kisses to the top of it. Her lips tingled at the feel of Emily's silky skin.

Emily's breath hitched audibly and she silently cursed herself for being so obvious, but her own skin felt on fire at the soft touch of Paige's lips. "You can't just come in here and… and…" Emily pulled her hand from Paige's grasp and took a step backward, then spun around in an effort to hide her burning cheeks.

"I was never any good at following the rules…" Paige uttered lowly as she stepped after Emily, slowly coming to stand close behind her so that Emily could feel the heat of her body against her back at their proximity. She held her breath as she felt Paige's lips brush against the outer rim of her ear as she whispered, "And I was never any good at keeping my distance from forbidden fruit…"

Emily furrowed her brows and spun around suddenly, giving Paige's shoulder a light shove, causing the rogue to step back. "Is that all there is to you? A challenge? Proving to me that you're a 'good hunter', as you put it?" The raven haired girl's temper flared, causing Paige to wince at her tone, her eyes shooting to the door and suddenly fearful that any raised voices might cause suspicion. No doubt that if she got caught here tonight, she'd probably be dead.

"I'm not interested in being some conquest. If that's what you have in mind, you better fuck off now." Emily panted as she stared hard at Paige, suddenly irritated beyond belief. Other than being angry at Paige for her insolence, she was even angrier at herself for daring to believe – daring to hope – that there was something unspoken and inescapable between them. Something ethereal. Something destined.

Emily silently cursed at herself for the romantic nature that she tried so hard to suppress.

Paige flinched initially, but stood her ground and allowed Emily to take a breath to calm herself. Reaching up, Paige slowly removed her hood, followed by her mask which she dropped to the side onto the carpet. "What if that's not what I have in mind?" She asked softly, tentatively, hopefully. It was never her intention to make Emily feel cheap or easy. The truth was merely that she was beyond enamoured with the exotic beauty and as she fell deeper under Emily's spell, she was falling further away from any possibility of removing herself from the web they were weaving around themselves like a cocoon.

"What do you have in mind then?" Emily spat out, challenging Paige as she folded her arms across her chest defensively.

"I don't plan ahead very well. I just knew I had to see you again. I just knew that if I didn't try something that you'd haunt my dreams, even more so than you already have." Paige sighed and dropped her gaze to the floor, shaking her head slightly at herself. "Though I am starting to realise that no matter what I do I will forever be haunted by you."

Emily felt her resolve soften somewhat and she unfolded her arms, moving to step past Paige as she wrapped her deep red robe more tightly around her frame. "Do you often do this to poor unsuspecting women in the middle of the night?"

Paige turned around to let her gaze travel with Emily's movements. "I've never done anything like this before." Her voice already at a husky low, she dropped it even further to nothing but a breath as she stepped closer to Emily again, drawn by some invisible force that would not be denied. "I've never met anyone like you…"

Emily spun around, once again finding herself having difficulty breathing, her efforts definitely not aided by the fact that Paige was once again a mere three inches away from her. The room fell into a deathly silence as they watched each other closely, Paige waiting for Emily to speak, while Emily was struck with Paige's undeniable beauty. She let her gaze wander from the light sheen of moisture on Paige's brow to the soft pink scar that ran down the side of her face, contrasting with her otherwise immaculate milky complexion. Paige's eyes were dark and unnervingly intense, though it only served to capture Emily further, pulling her into their depths. Paige's dark auburn locks were a medium length, it appeared, now that they were not obscured by her hood. They fell in messy waves around her shoulders and as Emily let her eyes slide down to the last strand that stuck to the rebel's throat, she was once again captivated by that pulsing vein that she had spotted earlier. For some reason every pulse that it made felt like a pulse shot straight down to the pit of Emily's abdomen.

Emily had never felt anything this magnetic.

The tension that had been steadily growing finally came to a head and crashed as Emily leaned forward, her hands sliding into the back of Paige's messy tresses as she pulled the rogue into her. Paige instinctively wrapped her arms around Emily's waist and held her securely in place as their lips finally met in an eruption of heat and electricity. There was never any intention from either side to share a timid kiss, and so the pace was immediately hungry and insatiable as Emily demanded entrance to Paige's mouth by sliding her tongue enticingly along her bottom lip. Paige happily obliged and seduced Emily's tongue into the warm confines by using her own as it pressed, flexed and teased eagerly, eliciting a soft moan from the darker beauty.

"This is insane…" Emily rasped against Paige's lips as she wrapped one arm around her neck for balance, the other hand gripping roughly at Paige's hair.

"Do you want me to leave?" Paige husked out in return, moving one arm from Emily's waist to send her hand flying into the back of her long black tresses, using her grip there to move Emily's head to the side slightly. A moment later Emily felt the little air she had in her lungs escape fully as Paige roughly pressed searing hot kisses into the side of her neck, moving slowly up towards the sensitive spot beneath her ear. When Paige reached that golden spot, Emily whimpered desperately as her knees went weak, feeling as if a wave of pleasure was crashing over her and drenching every inch of her body.

Taking that as her answer, Paige continued her physical appraisal of Emily's body, still attempting to tug her impossibly closer to her own body, even though not even a breath of air could fit between the two. Stumbling slightly about the room, Emily made hasty work of the zipper on the front of Paige's tight leather jacket and shoved it from her torso, leaving the rogue in nothing but a tight white vest to cover her upper half, Emily's lower abdomen dropping deeply in delight at the discovery that the woman clearly had no time for constricting underwear over her chest. Soon Emily could feel the muscles in Paige's deliciously toned shoulders tensing as she felt her back pressed against the dresser and her hips lifted onto Paige's.

Paige was losing all semblance of control over her faculties as she felt Emily's legs wrap tightly around her back and instinctively rolled herself into the goddess's core, letting a muffled moan escape into Emily's inviting mouth. At the delicious pressure Emily herself felt like she was losing this battle against her arousal, this woman between her legs driving her absolutely crazy. Squirming against Paige for a few minutes, she finally managed to slip from her grasp and stepped to the side, biting her lip lasciviously as she eyed Paige and circled her slightly. Paige couldn't help but grin like an intoxicated fool, feeling equally just as high as one as the sensation of Emily coursed through her veins.

Swiping carefully at the playful beauty, Paige managed to grab hold of the fluffy robe that hugged Emily and hid her modesty from view. Paige stepped closer immediately and tugged Emily's body flush against her own, her penetrating gaze never shifting from Emily's precious brown eyes. Closing her eyes finally and clamping down on her bottom lip once more, Emily reached for one of Paige's hands and guided it to the belt that held her robe closed. Paige's breath hitched and her brows arched, her skin flushing furiously at what Emily was giving her permission to do. She barely had a second to think about it, however, as Emily shoved her roughly backwards against the door, Paige tugging the belt with her, unravelling the material surrounding the body she so desperately wanted to spend an eternity getting lost in.

That moment of pure bliss was not to be, however, as the hard knock against the door not only made a thud that echoed through the silent compound, but was followed swiftly by the crash of a framed painting that hung just off to the side of the door. Both women froze, listening for any approaching footsteps, though they never came.

Instead a deep voice boomed from behind the door a few seconds later, "Emily? Emily, are you okay?" The insistent knock came next and Paige scrambled for a corner to hide in as Emily couldn't even form a coherent thought, much less a sentence to answer. "I'm coming in, okay?"

Emily was about to utter a hasty objection when the door swung open, the girl suddenly wishing that she had enough sense to have locked the door before she allowed Paige to distract her. Hastily stepping through the threshold was a clearly worried Caleb, gun drawn from his holster and raised half in front of him in anticipation at what he might find.

"Are you okay?" He gave Emily a brief once over to make sure there was no injury as she held her robe securely closed around her, before he stepped further into the room to take a look around. Realising, or rather assuming, she was alone he relaxed a little and pointed at the broken glass on the floor from the fallen painting. "I was on patrol and heard a loud crash. What happened?"

"Yeah, just… clumsy." Emily stuttered and gave Caleb a flustered smile in an attempt to reassure him, before discreetly glancing to the one corner of the room where Paige had managed to squeeze herself behind a cupboard in hiding.

Still not quite satisfied, Caleb took a turn through the room to observe things from every angle. He knew he couldn't take chances with Emily's safety or Maya would have his head for it. Spotting the wide open window he moved to shut it firmly then continued his inspection of their surroundings. "Are you sure? Want me to hang around for a while?"

Emily mustered another reassuring smile as she breathed deeply in an attempt to calm herself. "No, Caleb, please. I'm fine, I promise. I'm so sorry for having startled you." She watched as he nodded slightly distracted and followed his gaze as it swept further through the room, her heart stopping as she watched him scowl at the mask and leather jacket on her floor. Glancing back at Emily, she couldn't keep the panic from showing on her face. His eyes told her that he knew.

Shit.

"It's really late, I'm exhausted. I'm just going to crawl into bed and I'll clean up tomorrow. Thank you so much for checking in on me." Emily strung her words together hastily as she reached for Caleb's arm and gently tugged him back to the door and nudged him through it. "You're a true gentleman." She offered another appeasing smile before slowly closing the door in his face, leaving the man staring at the dark wooden surface in confusion.

"Damnit, Culler…" He whispered to himself before walking away.

"Damnit…" Emily echoed on the other side of the door as she watched Paige slowly crawl from her hiding place, careful to double check that the coast was indeed clear. Immediately locking the door, Emily rested her back against it heavily as she sighed.

"Geez… paranoid Sharks…" Paige mumbled as she moved towards Emily. "Another reason to not join…"

Paige wasn't trying to have a conversation about her opinions, but the comment was picked up by Emily none the less and immediately piqued her interest. "Join? The Sharks? Explain." She frowned at Paige, the latter realising she might just have inadvertently opened a can of worms.

"Cay has been trying to convince me to join their team. I just… It's not my thing." Paige tried to remain as diplomatic as possible and smooth over the topic as quickly as possible, reaching for Emily once more.

Emily stepped out of her reach, however, her expression not changing. "How is it not your thing, exactly?"

Paige sighed and ran a hand through her messy hair as frustration started creeping up her spine. "I just don't agree with the way they handle certain situations and I'd rather not get involved."

The scowl on Emily's face grew deeper, the dark beauty leaning back against her desk with her arms once again clamped across her chest as she watched Paige intently. "You don't agree with the way they're trying to keep everyone else safe from the Devils?"

"I don't agree with the way they kill the Devils in order to achieve that safety, as you call it." Paige ground out. This conversation was spiralling fast.

Emily scoffed and shook her head. "Yet it's okay how the Devils kill people?"

"That's not what I said." Paige spat.

"Paige, you killed two Devils the night we met! I killed one! How does that fit into your perceptions of what's wrong and what's right?" Emily was visibly upset now, unable to comprehend Paige's seemingly hypocritical compassion for the Devils.

Paige balled her fists and shook her head, trying to find the words to explain her views without giving too much of herself away, not ready to take that step with the woman yet. "If we hadn't killed them, they would have killed us. I know that some Devils are killers, but that doesn't mean the Sharks should proclaim open season on all of them as they wish. There are other ways to eliminate the violence without and instead of increasing it…"

" _Some_ Devils? Maybe not every single Devil has dropped a body, but they all condone it and deserve no less than the same pain that they cause!" Emily's hands were flailing now, her cheeks flushed in emotion.

"How can _you_ condone such an eye for an eye policy? Have you taken just a moment to consider that some of them have children? Husbands? Wives? People that love them and that would suffer incomprehensible pain at their death? You can't just assume that there's a monster under every goddamn bed, Emily!" Paige felt her emotions spiralling along with her thoughts and memories. Unable to stop her eyes from watering and knowing that she wouldn't be able to hold the angry tears at bay any longer, she reached for her jacket and quickly pulled it on before moving past Emily towards the window that she entered through.

"Paige, I…" Emily finally relented and stuttered, reaching for the woman's arm in an attempt to stop her from reaching for the window. Paige simply shrugged out of her grasp and undid the latch. "Look, I think this has been a huge misunderstanding. Please, just…"

"Not tonight." Paige quickly cut Emily off and lifted herself up and over the windowsill, starting to descend without another word.

"Paige… please…" Emily couldn't keep the pleading tone from her voice as she leaned out the window to watch the beautiful rogue as she climbed down the creeper that hugged the wall. She couldn't stand to have them part ways like this. She couldn't stand to simply let go of the inferno Paige had ignited inside of her. She could not bear the possibility that she might never see the woman again.

After dropping the last foot onto the pavement, Paige paused briefly and glanced up at the woman who had an undeniable hold on her, feeling more confused now than ever before. She would need time to process not only her thoughts, but also sort through her tumultuous emotions brought about by this night.

"Goodbye… Em…" Paige whispered just loud enough for the beauty to hear before she turned, drew her hood, and disappeared into shadow, leaving Emily with a terrible ache in her chest as she watched Paige go.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

The knock on her bedroom door came way too soon, Emily felt, as she cracked open one eye with great effort. She felt like she had barely gotten any sleep and the events with Paige still weighed heavily on her chest, the confusion only renewed as she regained consciousness. "Just a second…" She managed to croak out while dragging her tired body from the comfortable confines of her bed and over to the door after throwing her robe on. Opening it just a crack, she could feel her heart leap into her throat as she was faced with Maya's beaming smile.

"Good morning sleeping beauty." She chuckled endearingly at Emily and leaned against the doorframe as she observed the obviously exhausted woman. "Didn't sleep well?"

Emily once again found herself tugging her fluffy red robe more tightly around her body, suddenly rather uncomfortable at being faced with Maya so soon after Paige's hands and lips had bathed her skin in delicious heat. "Uhh, yeah. I guess I'm still recovering from the festivities." She attempted a placating smile.

"Well, I'm sure a hearty breakfast can solve all of your problems. Care to join me?" Maya leaned forward slightly, her desire to be closer to Emily radiating off of her and seeping from the sweet smile she offered.

"Sure. Just give me a few minutes to grab a shower. I'll meet you downstairs." Emily tried her utmost to seem more enthusiastic than she felt, realising that she couldn't allow what had happened during the dead hours of the night to interfere with her interactions with Maya.

"I look forward to it…" Maya cooed at Emily and offered her one last dazzling smile before sauntering off, causing Emily to feel like a hole had just been blasted through her chest.

What had she been thinking?

She had allowed Paige to cloud her judgement severely and risk the agreement between the Sharks and the girls. More than that, however, Emily had promised herself that her reaching out to Maya wasn't merely about protection. She had strong feelings for the woman and she had been determined to explore those feelings, unable to see why they couldn't rekindle what they had when they were younger. Maya was nothing but sweet, caring, protective and attentive. She deserved nothing less than absolute dedication and devotion on all fronts. She was a magnificent leader to her group and Emily knew that she could be just as an amazing lover.

Emily shook her head at the word 'lover' as she stepped under the hot spray of the shower, leaning her forehead against the cool tiles as if to try and calm the confusion swirling about her mind. Her and Maya's relationship, even when they were younger, had never quite reached that level of intimacy. Yet when Emily thought about the word and the images it conjured up, it wasn't Maya that flitted past her mind's eye – it was Paige. It had taken Paige a total of 10 minutes to send Emily's hormones raging like a wildfire. Emily couldn't quite understand it, but why couldn't she feel that way about Maya? She was nothing if not a stunning young woman with an air of confidence about her that was undeniably attractive.

Emily ran her fingers through her hair and massaged the water through her tresses, a deep sigh slipping from her lips when her head tilted back, trying her best to wash away the thoughts of Paige and replace them with images of Maya instead.

She had to try. Paige was a mere fantasy: a guilty pleasure. Maya was the real deal.

There was no stability in shadows.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Blowing out a puff of hot air, Paige managed to remove the stray strands of hair that had fallen into her eyes, obscuring her view of the target on the other side of the roof from where she stood. Feeling the burn in her muscles as she held back her arrow, quivering between bow and string, she inhaled deeply once more before releasing.

Bullseye. Again.

"I thought I might find you here." It was Caleb, carefully climbing over the side of the roof of the apartment building Paige lived in. He settled down on the ledge and watched her keenly for a few minutes as she let another arrow fly – this one splitting the previous one in half.

"Congratulations." Paige quipped as she placed her bow down on a table off to the side that also held a quiver and various types of arrows, most of them plain wood and clearly made for practise.

"Do I win a prize?" He arched a brow at her as she packed her stuff away, clearly trying her best to avoid looking at him. She didn't bother to answer him either, however a minute later he was standing next to her, halting her movements. "I tell you what. Let me have a shot. If I fail to match your last hit, I'll settle for a beer. But if I shatter that arrow, I get to ask any question I want and get an honest answer."

She stared at him, dubiously, and shook her head. "I fail to see what's in this for me…"

He grinned and stepped up to the chalk line on the ground that served as the marker, "You get the pleasure of my company."

Paige was about to protest again, but had to swallow her words as Caleb drew his gun, fired his shot and nearly took out the whole target, then turned to face Paige with a sombre expression – all in about 5 seconds. "Are you fucking Emily Fields?"

Paige felt like she had been shot in the stomach with that gun.

Her face contorted impressively as it shifted from shocked, to nervous, to indignant, to angry, and then back to shock again. "What the… Cay, no!" She spat out quickly and allowed irritation to settle into her demeanour as she turned back to the table to grab her stuff, then shoved past Caleb to head for the ladder that would lead her down from the roof again.

"When I said she still wanted to thank you, that was _not_ what I had in mind, Culler!" He called after her and skipped over the ledge and onto the fire escape as well, soon skipping in through her living room window. "I know you like a challenge and all, but you're messing with the wrong woman here – and I'm not talking about Emily!"

"Look, don't worry, okay? It was a one-time mistake. It won't happen again." Paige rattled off as she rummaged around her laundry basket in search of a towel. Not only was she sweaty and annoyed by the black vest clinging to her skin, but she felt like she had some serious sins to scrub away. If she had to be honest with herself, she didn't really know whether she meant it when she said that it had been a mistake. She was still processing what had happened between her and Emily and felt like she was nowhere nearer to figuring things out than she had been when she left the compound before sunrise. The fact that she hadn't slept at all wasn't helping her muddled thoughts either.

"Paige, I'm serious. You don't know Maya like..." Caleb tried to reiterate his point, but was met with the slamming of the bathroom door behind his friend. "I do…"

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Maya felt her heart leap at the sight of the exotic beauty descending the stairs into the courtyard where she was waiting with breakfast. Emily's legs seemed to last for days as they sloped gently from the sandals she wore to the hem of her sapphire sundress that reached about mid-thigh. Several straps spanned and draped across her caramel shoulders, an airy red scarf adding a dash of passion as it lay casually around her neck. Her raven hair fell in gentle waves and framed her angelic features perfectly: the woman truly a goddess in mortal form, Maya observed.

Immediately standing to meet her, the shorter woman reached out to Emily and pressed a lingering kiss to the corner of her mouth, sending her own heart rate rocketing. Emily herself could feel the tension setting in on them as she remained standing in close proximity to Maya, pushing herself to meet the woman's chocolate gaze in order to establish a much needed connection once more.

There was a brief tingling sensation in her stomach, though Emily was not quite sure if it was attraction or hunger. She felt terribly guilty at the thought, though tried to push it away as she smiled warmly at her companion. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

"The way you look was well worth the wait, Em…" Maya sighed and showed her appreciation for Emily's beauty by letting her admiring gaze travel the length of her once more. "I hope I'm not rude for staring, but I don't think the sun started shining until this very moment…"

Emily laughed in amusement at Maya's intended cheesiness, but gave a twirl for her enjoyment none the less, before taking the hand that the woman offered her as she led them to their little table that had been set up for breakfast in a corner that received just enough shade from a nearby tree to minimize discomfort in the hot sun. Their conversation soon flowed freely as they basked in each other's company, discussing anything and everything that came to mind in nothing but pleasant tones that were peppered with laughs and giggles. It didn't take long for Emily to be reminded of how much fun she used to have with Maya during their younger years and exactly why they used to be so inseparable. Maya was easy to be around and she allowed Emily to feel light and relaxed without much effort. She also had a knack for making Emily blush as she was never shy to shower her with compliments or try her luck with flirting. Before long Emily was flushed and grinning from ear to ear, any previous turmoil now seemingly gone.

Surely this was where she belonged.

"I know you have plans to meet up with the girls just now, but before you go I'd like to show you something." Breakfast had come and gone and many sweet moments had been shared, but Maya had one more trick up her sleeve for her intended consort. Once Emily was standing beside Maya, the woman reached for the scarf around her neck and moved to fasten it over Emily's eyes instead as a makeshift blindfold, then gently grasped her hand in order to lead her away.

Their walk took a few minutes and all that Emily could figure out was that they were walking along a pathway outside somewhere, though Maya would give nothing away. The silence between them was comfortable and even if Emily had any inkling of feeling nervous, she would have found herself pleasantly soothed by the sounds of birds and flowing water.

When they eventually came to a halt, Maya stood up close behind Emily and wrapped her arms around the beauty's waist before leaning in to whisper in her ear. Emily quickly pushed away the tingling feeling of familiarity, yet variance, that crept up her spine and forced herself to listen carefully to the words spoken so closely. "I want to give you a present. You can't carry it with you, but it will be here, waiting, when you're ready…" May slowly pulled the scarf from Emily's eyes and allowed her to take in the scene before her.

Emily's face lit up immediately as she observed the quaintest little cottage that seemed to be hidden away in a corner of the compound grounds, half surrounded by what seemed to be an orchard and other lush greenery. A little stream trickled past in the front yard and one had to cross the cutest little wooden bridge to reach the front porch. The whole building was carefully put together with large grey stones while the roof was a dark thatch. Smaller and slightly larger pots stood and hung around everywhere, allowing the most colourful arrangements of flowers to grow within their safe confines and allowing a wonderful contrast with the little house. It seemed like a scene straight out of a children's fairy tale and Emily fell in love immediately.

"This is…" She sighed, lost for words.

"Yours." Maya answered, but then quickly added, "Ours…"

Emily could feel a pang hit her gut at that last word, though she was not entirely sure whether it was a good or a bad thing. "Ours?"

"When you're ready…" May stepped to the front of Emily and gazed adoringly at the woman who held her heart – a feeling she could not deny and did not even want to try. "I don't want to share a room with you next to my office and across the hall from my guys. I want a home with you. I want warmth and light and…" She paused and took a deep breath, then uttered the last intended word as she dared look deeply into Emily's eyes, "Love…"

Emily felt like she had been struck by lightning.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"And then? What did you say?" Hanna was staring at Emily slack-jawed after hearing all about her morning surprise with Maya. "Ohmygod, I can SO hear wedding bells chiming already!"

"Hanna!" Aria scolded her bouncy blonde friend as she put a hand on Emily's shoulder in a show of reassurance and comfort. "Yeah, that's a little fast, Han." Spencer was the next to chime in, her keen brown eyes settling on Emily's face in an attempt to read her emotions. "Isn't it? Em?"

"I don't know right now. I have no idea what to think about it, much less what to feel." Emily sighed and stood, starting to pace the room. The girls were between business and pleasantries in the back office of their establishment, Emily having insisted on getting back into action after her last ordeal with the Devils. She had started to feel claustrophobic back at the compound – a feeling that now only seemed intensified after that morning.

"Em, we've been through this. You don't need to…"Spencer started earnestly, but was quickly cut off by Emily.

"I can't stop now!" She shook her head furiously and folded her arms across her chest as she took a few more paces. "I'm not even sure…" She paused and came to a standstill, then looked over at her friends assembled on the couch. "I'm not even sure I want to stop."

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"Well, well, well… Aren't you a sight for sore eyes…"

Paige stopped dead in her tracks after exiting her bathroom, fresh from the shower in nothing but a black towel, suddenly faced with a blonde intrusion taking up space on her couch.

"Oh don't be so modest, Culler. I took you for the type to shake it off and dry in the breeze." Samara grinned and sent a wink at Paige. "You know, like a wolf." She slowly slid from her position, though her eyes never left Paige's, making her way over to the soaked and flustered woman. "Are you a wolf, Culler?" She slowly stepped closer and raised one hand, finger extended to run along the edge of the towel that wrapped around Paige's chest. "A loner. A hunter." She leaned in closer and finally whispered, her lips hovering close enough to Paige's ear for her to feel her hot breath tickling the fine hairs that stood there. "A killer?"

The last word finally snapped Paige out of her daze, causing her to shoulder Samara to the side as she stepped past and reached for the first shirt she could find in an attempt to make herself more decent. "How the fuck did you find me?"

"Oh please, don't insult me." Samara laughed at Paige's anger and simply leaned against the back of the couch, watching as Paige pulled a black t-shirt over her head and allowed the towel to drop to around her hips. When she lifted her hands to try and comb her rebellious locks of hair back with her fingers, the spy tilted her head and watched the shirt ride up, grinning salaciously as that deliciously chiselled abdomen and jutting hipbones came into view. "Hmm, so glad to see that you still put the 'V' in vagitarian…" Samara lifted her hand in front of her to form the aforementioned letter with her index and middle fingers in the direction of Paige's lower half, then licked her lips.

"Can I _help_ you? What the fuck do you want?" Paige's patience was starting to wear thin. She had managed to allow the hot water and strong spray to relax her aching muscles and soothe her racing thoughts for a while, at least. She definitely did not appreciate being brought back down to earth and its harsh reality so soon.

The amusement slipped from Samara's face, though there was an unnervingly audacious glint that remained in her eyes as she stared hard at Paige. "Wolves are sexy, you know. But stray dogs…" She pulled a photo from her coat pocket and stepped up to Paige, nearly shoving it in her face. "Stray dogs are just begging to be put down."

Paige grabbed the black and white picture and studied it closely, the muscles in her jaw and cheeks flexing as she clenched and unclenched. The photo showed, in perfect focus, Paige and Emily in a heated embrace in Emily's room.

Shit.

"Who do you think will get to do the honours?" Samara smirked as she turned and casually strolled through the room, picking up and inspecting random objects as she went. "Will it be Shana, because she's fed up with your oh so sexy, yet hypocritical ass? Or will it be Maya, for you sneaking into her sacred grove and stealing her tasty peaches?"

"There you go making those threats again…" Paige uttered in a barely audible tone, her attention still ensnared by the picture in her hands.

"Actually, I'm not here to make a threat. I'm here to warn you." Samara shrugged and turned around to face Paige again. "You know I've always had a soft spot for you. I was jealous of my sister for the longest time, you know…"

"Leave Jamie out of this!" Paige spat and finally looked up from the photo, fixing Samara with a vehement glare. "I'm tired of your so-called warnings, Sam. _What do you want?_ "

"I want you to listen to me when I tell you that you have a debt to pay, or things will not end in happily-ever-after for you, which would make me rather sad." Samara mock-wiped a tear from her cheek.

"What debt?" Paige stared in confusion. She knew Samara was referring to Shana.

"A life for a life. A Shark for a Devil." Samara shrugged.

"That's done with! I paid that debt long ago already!" Paige nearly screeched in emotion.

"I'm not talking about Zack and Jamie. Shana feels it's time to pay up for all the Devils you've dropped. She wants you." There was no more facetious tone lacing Samara's words, her eyes now almost seeming hard as stone as she watched Paige closely.

"A Shark for a Devil? I'm no Shark!" Paige's face fell a second later as realisation dawned on her. She looked down at the photo still gripped tightly within her hand and slowly shook her head.

"No… But she is…" Samara smiled.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"Unusual accessory you've got there…" Emily and Hanna were sitting alone in one of the private booths off to the side of the dancefloor of their club. They had been discussing décor for a new lounge that was in the pipeline in another part of town, deciding to utilise the comfortable seats seeing as how it was still the middle of the day and together they could keep an eye on the barmen as they stocked the fridges.

While Emily had been busy sketching an idea on paper, Hanna became transfixed on Emily's wrist that still held the red string, wrapped several times around, with the small charm-like bell as attachment. Maya would never have noticed anything out of the ordinary with the choice in 'jewellery', but Hanna knew her best friend well enough to notice that the trinket was out of place.

"What…" Emily raised her arm, though quickly dropped it again as she tried to seem as nonchalant as possible, having forgotten that she had the token on display for everyone to see. "Uhh yeah, I got it at the carnival."

"Em, I took my time in browsing each and every single jewellery stall at the carnival…" Hanna raised her brows, figuring that Emily could guess what she was implying.

"It was given to me." Emily shrugged, trying her best to hide her sudden bubbling nerves.

"By?" Hanna's brows moved even higher than before. She could smell blood.

"Some… person, in a mask. I don't know who they were." Emily risked a glance up at her friend but could not maintain the eye contact for longer than two seconds before dropping her gaze again. Guilty.

"Emily Fields, you fiend!" Hanna squealed and brought her hands together in a loud clap. "It was her, wasn't it? Your sexy motherfucking Robin Hood! Tell me! Details!"

Emily cringed and moved quickly to hush Hanna and calm down her excitement with one hand reaching out to cover her lips. "Okay, okay… Geez, Han!" She whisper-shouted.

Sighing deeply, Emily relented and recounted the events of the previous night to Hanna who did not allow Emily to skip out on any of the 'juicy details', as she put it. As Emily spoke, she relived every moment, every word, every touch, every kiss, every fluttering of her stomach and every ragged breath. Soon she was burning a rosy colour – its presence even prominent against her darker skin. After her morning with Maya, Emily had truly deliberated letting Paige go, especially considering how they had parted, but now with each breath she took as she told the story, she could feel herself drawing the beautiful vigilante back into her lungs and into her bloodstream against her will.

By the time she was done reliving her dalliance in words to her friend, Hanna's mouth was agape and her eyes were shining. "Em, Mexican food cooked over an open flame doesn't even come near that kind of heat. This archer sounds s-s-s-sizzling!"

"And emotionally unstable?" Emily scoffed.

"Why? For getting upset because she feels that there's too much violence going around? You can hardly fault her on that, sweety. This world is an ugly enough place as is." Sometimes, just sometimes, Hanna could be the voice of reason.

However, right now Emily wasn't sure whether she could handle this version of the truth.

"Em, this could be it… We all used to dream about the great loves of our lives, the ones we'd meet when the stars align and the fates conspire to bring us together in some sort of beautiful coincidence. Paige could be…" Hanna was quickly floating away, though Emily immediately cut her down and cut her off.

"Hanna! I can't do this. Everything is riding on my relationship with Maya right now!" Emily flailed.

"And that's exactly the problem! Right there – you basically said it – your relationship with Maya is nothing but a glorified business arrangement! Em, you can't live like that!" Hanna pushed back, her concern for her friend very evident in her voice.

"I can. I can learn to live with it." Emily nodded firmly in affirmation of what she was saying. "I can learn to love her."

"Em…"

"I have to…"

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"Shana wouldn't dare touch Emily. It would start an all-out war between the two gangs. Maya would go ballistic." Paige scowled as she watched Samara closely.

"If that's what you think… But consider this – do you really think Maya would go flailing about blindly because she lost her shiny new toy? Do you really think she cares enough about Emily to risk everything?" Samara was prodding Paige with a red-hot poker and Paige could feel it clearly.

"Then what's the point of going after Emily, if that's the belief?" Paige was trembling imperceptibly, forcing herself to keep her voice calm. She couldn't show any fear she might feel.

"The point is this…" Samara pointed at the photo still clutched in Paige's hand. "She wants you."

Paige laughed suddenly and shook her head. "Not a chance. Way too dramatic."

"We figured you might need some convincing…" Samara grinned this time.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

As the sun started to wane and the shadows grew long, Emily finally stepped out of the club in order to head home in time for dinner with Maya. As she nodded at her driver and stepped past the door into the backseat of the car, she started convincing herself to strengthen her resolve. Each thought of Paige had to be cast aside, similarly to the way the buildings rushed past her window as the car sped off. She allowed every memory to flit past and then disappear into the distance, just like the buildings were doing now.

Hang on.

Why were they leaving the city?

Emily finally caught sight of the driver in the rear view mirror and took a moment to study his unfamiliar features, her blood running cold soon after.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N - Okay, I know this is long overdue and I'm not sure how many people even remember this fic, but this is a pretty damn decent update (I think) and I'm quite excited for it. Please leave a review and tell me what you think! I'd love to hear some theories and predictions! Anyway, enjoy!**

 **xxx...xxx======xxx...xxx**

Paige pumped her bike into a higher gear as she gave a desperate twist to the gas, pushing the machine to its limit as she sped down the road, further and further away from the city. She could feel the painful twisting of her stomach the longer it took her to get to her destination, praying she wouldn't be too late.

" _What have you done, Samara?!" Paige cried out in anguish once she had realised that Emily would be a target in order to get to her._

" _Not me, Paigey. Perhaps I could give you a hint to help you find her – if you ask nicely." Samara smirked in return, not at all perturbed by Paige's hike in tone._

 _She soon found this to be a mistake however, as a second later Paige was holding her up against the wall and growling threateningly in her face. "I saved your life once and I can just as easily take it away from you! TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!"_

The tyres of the motorcycle skid across the gravel as Paige took a sharp turn onto a dirt road lined by tall trees and thick growth; the further she travelled into the forest the darker it became. It had already been hours since Emily had been abducted, according to her calculations, and she had no idea what to expect. Her blood was boiling at the thought of a single hair on her head having been harmed and she was ready to spill any and all blood necessary to rectify the situation.

As the small and dilapidated wooden cabin came into sight, so did three Devil gunmen standing guard outside. Paige steeled herself and gave the bike one final push as she made a beeline for the first guy. The engine revved as she pulled her iron horse onto its hind wheel, effectively blocking a few bullets that flew her way right before slamming the heavy machine into her first victim. Her motions were liquid as she propelled herself from the seat of the crashing ride and took about three strides before her hunting knife slid with ease between the ribs of the second Devil that stood too close to avoid her cat-like agility. The third thug was the wisest as he had quickly sidestepped around the corner of the cabin with his gun at the ready, sending bullets whistling past Paige's ear. A large refuse barrel offered her some cover as she unhooked her bow from around her torso and swiftly aimed an arrow at the face dodging back and forth. Wisdom left the Devil a few seconds later as one quick glance around the corner earned him an arrow through the eye, forcing him to drop lifelessly to the ground.

A quick look around assured Paige that there was no one else in the vicinity that could be a threat and she hoped that her instincts were right as she couldn't afford to waste any more time in reaching Emily. Without another thought she threw her weight into the front door and winced at the dull pain it caused in her shoulder, as well as the way the old, mouldy wood splintered beneath the force of her. The living area was empty and smelled like a damp and rotting cave, but she quickly stepped through to where she remembered the bedroom to be.

Paige felt the air leave her lungs like she had just suffered a punch to the gut as she spotted Emily. The woman had been forced onto her knees and tied with course rope to a stone pillar. Her cheeks were stained with tears that had clearly been falling for a while, her eyes dull and swollen, though they seemed to spark back to life when she spotted Paige. A strangled cry sprang from her burning throat, though it was muffled by a rag that had been stretched between her teeth as a makeshift gag. Paige couldn't bear the sight a second longer and rushed to Emily's side, hastily cutting her free from her bonds, further noting the fact that Emily was not clothed in her own attire but was rather sporting an oversized black and red football jersey and nothing else.

"Get me out of here, Paige, oh my god, please!" Emily sobbed once Paige had removed the rag from her mouth and fell into her saviour's arms for comfort. Paige held her tightly and tried to soothe her as she gently kissed the top of Emily's head, whispering reassuring words into her ear to try and calm the distressed girl.

Until the sound of car doors slamming and angry voices could be heard coming from the front yard.

Paige froze for a second, a flash of pain shooting through her chest as sweat bead her brow. It was a different situation now, yet it all seemed so familiar. She could hear her name being called in the back of her head, the voice angry and bitter. She glanced through the door of the bedroom and saw Zack approaching, except it wasn't him. When she looked to her side, it was Jamie's hand she was holding, except it wasn't her.

" _You'd never hurt me…"Samara sneered in return, though she wriggled rather uncomfortably against the wall as Paige increased the pressure with which she kept her pinned._

" _But okay, okay… If you were to lose a lover in the same way as your last… Where would that be?" Samara arched her brow then, but there was no sign of any malice in her expression as she, too, had felt the pain of that last loss._

" _The cabin…" Paige breathed in realisation, then suddenly dropped Samara and bolted from the room._

"Paige! Paige!" Emily called, frightened and panicked, yanking on the hand clasped tightly within her own, finally causing the rogue to snap out of her daze.

"Em, we have to move. Now!" Paige whispered urgently as she pulled Emily to her feet and tugged her over to the window. Miraculously it still opened and a few seconds later both women were through it and took off into the woods at the back of the cabin, just as the sun began to set.

 **xxx...xxx======xxx...xxx**

Emily could feel the burn in her legs worse than the burn the rope left on her wrists as she trudged along beside Paige, continuing to fall behind. Paige eventually slowed to a halt as she breathed heavily and took a good look around. They were deep into the woods that stretched to the furthest borders of the city, but they were still several hours from reaching it.

"What is it?" Emily exhaled hard as she stopped next to Paige and leaned heavily against her, causing the other woman to wrap a protective arm around her.

"We have to stop. It's too much of a risk to travel in the dark." Paige could feel Emily tense within her grasp, though she only pulled her closer then. "I'll make a small fire. It'll be okay." Paige slid her leather jacket from her shoulders and held it up for Emily to pull on in an effort to shield her from the cool breeze that was sweeping through the trees. Emily gave her companion a weary smile, though a grateful one as she pulled the jacket closed around her and watched as Paige went about collecting twigs and sticks.

About twenty minutes later a few flames were licking at the dried debris, slowly growing into a small bundle of warmth that Paige would feed every now and then; just enough to keep it alive and radiating enough heat to warm their hands and provide some light to keep the blackness at bay. Conversation had been scarce between the pair as Emily attempted to deal with the shock of what had happened and Paige wanted to offer her the space to collect her thoughts, though her physical presence was ever close and it made Emily feel the safety and security she was craving.

"How did you know where to find me?" Emily's voice came tentatively after a while, clutching a frail-looking stick in one hand while poking around the fire absentmindedly.

"An old friend had some information. I just put the pieces together." Paige shrugged as if it was nothing.

Emily noticed. She was always amazed at how humble Paige could be. And granted, the last time Paige managed to save her she had been an utter bitch to her, but she knew, regardless, what Paige had done, both then and now, was extremely admirable. No, it was unbelievable. Emily knew she was lucky. Yet she didn't feel particularly lucky the longer she thought about it. She realised then that she would never feel lucky again whenever faced with the prospect of having to separate from Paige. She realised that she would never be able to dim the connection she felt to the other woman. Not only was Paige remarkably brave, excitingly insane, charmingly bold and breathtakingly beautiful, but the very essence of the pulsing energy aura she radiated was so magnetic that Emily felt like the proverbial moth drawn to the flame.

"It wasn't the first time you've been at that cabin, is it?" Emily cast her gaze towards Paige, watching her face glow with the illumination from the fire.

"I used to live there." Paige avoided eye contact, able to feel Emily's confused stare crawling over her skin. She didn't know why, but Paige felt open when she was around Emily. She always prided herself on being able to keep people at an arm's length. She figured it simply saved on introductions and goodbyes, and she was always faced with another goodbye. The thought of bidding goodbye to Emily pained her deeply, even though she was the one that had walked away the last time they met. However, the situation they were in now only reminded her of the reason why she didn't want to get involved with the gang war happening all around them. She couldn't lose her heart again, especially not in the same way.

Yet here she was, honesty pouring from her lips like the tide summoned by the full moon hanging low above their heads.

"I was… I grew up without my folks. I took shelter here a lot. It had been abandoned for years at the time already." One hand ran nervously back through her hair. "It was the one place I could hide from all the politics back at base."

"Base?" Emily recognised the terminology after having spent some time with Maya and the guys.

"I was a Shark once." Paige smirked, finally risking a glance at Emily and was relieved to find that there was no judgement in her eyes.

"What changed?" Emily was merely confused, especially after the blowout they had about the two different gangs in her room.

"A Shark killed my girlfriend." Paige inhaled deeply, spitting out the words like she was telling a funny story, but the pain in the limber of her voice was evident.

"Oh my god, Paige, I'm so sorry." Emily regretted asking the question in what now seemed like such a cavalier way. Her hand slowly moved over to Paige and lay down on top of her hand, but soon a drop hit their joined hands out of nowhere.

Paige glanced up just in time for another drop to hit her in the eye, causing her to groan. She had just enough time to glance around before the rain came down with more intent. Grabbing Emily's hand tightly, she jumped and dragged her a few feet away, then ducked down and disappeared in the underbrush. "Down here!" Emily ducked down and crawled after Paige. The thicket was small and offered just enough space for the two of them to sit together snugly; something neither of them minded.

"Her name was Jamie." Paige offered up the information randomly after a few seconds of heavy silence, Emily's face no more than five inches away from hers.

Emily wanted to ask what happened, but she forced some tact down her own throat, even though she could not for the life of her imagine why a Shark would kill an innocent party. Unless this girl…

"She was a Devil…" Emily muttered softly in realisation, the truth hitting her like a ton of bricks.

Paige merely nodded her head and sighed.

Emily could feel the tension hanging thick in the cool evening air between them. There was no graceful way of ending such a conversation, so Emily cast her eyes to the entrance of the thicket and watched as the rain danced beautifully in the dust just outside. She let a silent moment pass before she gently laid her head on Paige's shoulder in an attempt to offer her at least a semblance of the physical comfort Paige had presented her with.

"Em… I'm so so sorry…" Paige whispered a few minutes later, her voice seemingly cracking slightly with emotion. Turning more towards Emily, she cast caution to the wind and pulled the darker beauty close to her while burying her face in her neck. "I never wanted you to get hurt."

"Paige, none of this is your fault." Emily shook her head in confusion, but snuggled into Paige's warm embrace none the less. "In fact, if it hadn't been for you…"

Paige clenched her jaw. As open as she may have felt around this woman, she didn't know how to be completely honest; how to explain exactly why she was sorry and how it was, in fact, her fault. "Bad things happen to the people closest to me." She tried after a few seconds to skirt around the subject.

Deep lines of concern creased through Emily's brow as Paige lifted her head to gaze at her, but she found nothing but gentleness in her dark eyes. Emily simply wanted to understand. She wanted to ease Paige's pain. She wanted to hold her close and make her forget about it all. "Bad things happen to people, Paige. Bad things happen to the best of people. It doesn't mean it's your fault."

"But what if it is? What if it was my fault? What if you…" Paige tried to protest.

"Don't say it. I feel safe when I'm with you. And I feel empty when you're not around." Emily lowered her voice and watched Paige from beneath her brows, her gaze softening even further the longer she watched the archer.

"What about Maya? Why are you with her?" Paige cast her gaze downward, scared of what Emily's eyes might tell her in answer.

"It's complicated. We grew up together. We were sweethearts, you could call it. But then…" Emily trailed off contemplatively.

"She spent time in jail and then joined the Sharks. I know." Paige nodded in return, smirking.

"Do all Sharks have a shady past?" Emily smirked as well, arching one brow.

"Do you think I have a shady past?" Paige finally glanced back up to watch the other pair of deep brown eyes curiously.

"I don't know…" Emily shrugged, genuinely curious herself. Her intuition was strong enough to tell her that Paige was hiding something. Yet she couldn't bring herself to care. Every second longer that she spent in Paige's presence deepened the connection she felt – the inexplicable tug at the very core of her soul.

"Does it scare you that I might?" Paige swallowed. A part of her wanted to come clean so that Emily could just reject her and be done with it, but an even stronger and more foolish side of her was trying so very hard to postpone the inevitable.

"I don't care about your past. I care about the here and now." Emily answered firmly and shook her head, one hand lifting to settle on Paige's cheek, her thumb brushing gingerly over the scar it found there.

"And what's happening here and now?" Paige's voice faltered again and turned to a whisper once more, her heart quickening its pace as she locked her gaze with Emily.

"Right here and right now… I want… Paige, I just need to feel you…" Emily whispered even more softly than the other woman, almost ashamed of her unabashed revelation of her desires.

"Em…" Paige's breath got stuck in her chest, the burning sensation causing her to inhale deeply a few moments later. Her skin was on fire as well; especially where Emily's warm touch still lingered on her cheek. Soon Paige found her head resting against Emily's, their breaths mingling in the small space between their lips.

"Paige… Please…" Emily's tone was even more desperate now and she could feel the goose bumps trailing down her spine the closer Paige's lips moved to hers. "I want you… I can't _not_ want you…" She pleaded one last time before caving and moving forward, catching Paige's lips in a deeply intimate kiss that immediately rid them both of not only the air in their lungs, but seemingly of their very senses.

Paige could feel the bottom of her stomach giving way as a rush of pleasure flooded her from her chest right down to her toes. She reached for Emily without another thought, knowing only that she, too, needed to feel the other woman. She pulled the dark-haired woman into her lap and found long tanned legs wrapping around her lower back, Paige's hands finding the smooth skin beneath the material of the oversized jersey Emily was wearing as it rode up her thighs.

Emily pulled back slightly from the heated kiss, only to lower her lips to Paige's neck and find a soft patch of skin to suckle gently on. She could feel any semblance of self-control slipping away from her as she also found that she couldn't care less if it did. She'd never be able to put into words the electric euphoria Paige ignited within her. Emily had always been a careful individual, calculated and thoughtful of the consequences of her actions, but Paige awoke something unabashedly primal within her.

As Emily continued her exploration of Paige's skin, her hips slowly started to move against her, the heat between their laps almost unbearable and with every roll of friction both women could feel their sanity slipping. Paige moaned lowly into Emily's hair as she fingered the soft material of the jersey as she pulled it further up Emily's thighs, then stopped abruptly and pulled back, frowning deeply.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Emily cupped Paige's face in her hands immediately, trying to meet Paige's eyes with her own, but the rebel wouldn't allow it. Emily could see storm clouds roll in over the woman's visage. "Paige…"

"This… I… oh god…" Paige faltered terribly, feeling herself quickly lose control of her emotions. She gripped the fabric of the jersey tightly within her fingers, her knuckles turning almost completely white at the effort. She had to fight the urge to rip the fabric apart. "I'm sorry, I can't…" She couldn't tell Emily exactly what she was wearing; that what she was wearing was not only a Devil shirt, but it was an exact replica of Jamie's favourite one. Paige hadn't quite noticed it earlier. Or perhaps she had but simply hadn't stopped to think about it with everything that had happened in the past few hours. It wasn't until she felt the almost silk-like fabric slipping through her fingers as she ran them up the equally silken skin of Emily Fields that the sensation triggered the memory. Paige pulled back further as she shifted from under Emily's weight, averting her eyes guiltily.

Emily scowled with intense confusion and concern, though she obliged Paige's silent request and shifted out of her lap. "Paige, what's…"

"Why are you with Maya?" Paige snapped angrily in return, transferring the emotions she felt unequipped to deal with right then. The pain at the memory was throbbing in her chest, only made worse by the fact that she was busy turning away from perhaps the only woman who could heal said pain. But Paige couldn't bear all. There was no way. Emily would never look at her the same again.

Emily was taken aback by the sudden change in Paige demeanour, but tried to keep her calm as she spoke softly but firmly. "I told you, it's…"

"Complicated, yeah." Paige interrupted quickly, shaking her head before letting it drop into her hands, ashamed at having snapped at the girl. She sighed deeply and spoke, though unable to lift her head, "I can't do this with you, Em. I thought I could, but…" Paige's fingers raked back through her hair in frustration and she quickly wiped at the moisture in her eyes before looking back up to Emily. She took one deep breath before offering Emily at least a little piece of the truth that she deserved. "I can't lose my heart again, and if we went through with this…"

"But…" Emily reached for Paige's hands and held them tightly within her own, blinking back stubborn tears that were stinging at her own eyes. All she knew was that she couldn't lose Paige at all, heart or no heart.

"Please… Just let me hold you… Just one last time…" Paige quickly pressed a kiss to the back of one of Emily's hands, then used their entwined limbs to pull Emily back to her, the dark beauty's back this time coming to lean into Paige's torso as the archer held her close from behind.

There was so much Emily wanted to say, so much she wanted to ask and so much she wanted to protest. Yet the finality of Paige's words were so heavy that she knew there would be no further talking this night, unless she wanted to bring the bittersweet moment to an untimely end. So Emily bit the side of her tongue to cut off the tears that were now slowly sliding down her cheeks and to immediately stop the sobs that were bubbling up in her chest before they could even be heard.

 **** **xxx...xxx======xxx...xxx**

"We trusted you! You said you had it under control!" An angry Spencer Hastings was standing toe to toe with the Head Shark, both strong-willed women trying their best not to lose their tempers at each other.

"I do. Perhaps we'll be able to find her faster if you would kindly just step aside." Maya growled lowly. She seemed like she was made of sugar and spice and all things nice in how sweetly she tended to act, but not many people paused to realise that she was the leader of the Rosewood Sharks for a reason.

"Maybe I should just phone the police." Spencer pulled out her phone as she turned, but Maya quickly grabbed her shoulder and turned her back to squarely face her.

"You will not phone the police. Give me an hour and if we haven't made progress then we can consider getting help." Maya's voice was stern and her face hard, but a slight bit of panic swept through her eyes. For obvious reasons she couldn't afford to get the feds involved, but more than that she was also starting to freak out on the inside about Emily's whereabouts and wellbeing.

Toby stepped closer to Spencer and attempted to calm her down and distract her from Maya in order to give his boss some space to think. They were all drifting around the operations hall of Shark Base where cubicles with tech guys were strewn about and tables were covered in maps and paperwork, while white boards covered in writing and photos stretched across most walls. The place was abuzz with activity as Maya flitted from one station to the next, barking orders and checking up on information and possible leads. On a couch against one wall Ezra was seated with Aria and Hanna, trying to keep their minds occupied, which left Caleb shadowing their leader and trying to help.

"Maya, you know this is a lure, right?" Caleb stepped after the woman as she moved about, trying hard to keep up and get a word in at the same time. Maya simply shot him a dark look, but did not reply verbally.

"Shana is after you." Caleb tried to emphasize his point by grabbing her shoulder, but she was quick to shrug him off and stretch up towards his face. "It doesn't matter either way, Caleb! What do you expect me to do?"

"Phone your informant!" Caleb raised his voice in reply. He didn't particularly enjoy arguing with Maya, but he had been a Shark basically his whole life and was a shoe-in for Head Shark should anything happen to her. Therefore he acted more daringly than his fellows.

"You don't think I've tried?" She snapped back at him and reached for her phone in her pocket, then stared at the screen in frustration. Glancing up she found Caleb's dark eyes weighing on her, "I'm going to try again. Go check up with the neighbourhood lines at stations three to seven." She was annoyed with his habit of tearing into her, especially when he has right to do so.

Maya watched Caleb walk off before she turned and moved herself into a quiet corner, then hit redial on her phone. She rubbed her eyes as she listened to the repetitive ringing and was about to toss the offending device against the wall when she finally heard the sound halt abruptly, replaced by random background noise.

"What the fuck happened?" Maya ground out between her teeth, knowing very well that the person on the other end of the line was listening. The anger in her voice was palpable and enough to scare the hair off of the face of a lumberjack

"What needed to happen," came the simple reply from the other end of the crackling line.

"We had an agreement! You said Emily wouldn't get hurt!" The Shark barked, though tried to keep her conversation away from the ears of everyone else in the room.

"No, you told me not to involve Emily. I didn't listen." The voice was snarky and held just a hint of mirth. "It had to happen."

" _ **If a single hair on her head…**_ " Maya paused as she realised the room had gone quiet and looked up towards the entrance. There stood Emily. Maya felt her heart leap out of her chest and soon she followed, her phone call forgotten. It took two seconds for her to reach the tall beauty and then her arms were wrapped tightly around her, both faces seeking to burrow deep into the other's neck as they breathed in the calm and comfort that the other one offered in that moment.

From the doorway Paige watched the scene play out, and as she swore to herself to hide her emotions, she could still feel her heart being ripped to shreds. She had threatened Samara for the information on where to find Emily; she killed three men to save Emily; she kept Emily warm through the rainy night; she walked with Emily for miles and miles to get her home safely… It was _her_ ; she had risked everything for the beauty…

It should be _her_ arms around Emily right now.

Paige dropped her head and closed her eyes, slowly starting to turn away, aiming to leave, but felt a strong grip on her shoulder, yanking her back. Soon she felt a strong pair of masculine arms wrap her up and sighed deeply as Caleb's scent filled her nostrils. She only allowed it for two seconds, however, before she shoved him away and cleared her throat awkwardly. "I was about to call you for help. I should have known better…" He grinned and slapped her on the shoulder.

Paige simply smirked at him and shook her head, but her eyes soon wandered back over to where Emily was busy reuniting with Maya. The two women were standing with their heads bowed together and wrapped up in each other's arms. Paige's focus shifted and her eyes came to rest on Emily's face and the expression of relief and joy that she showed amidst the sniffles and the tears.

Her chest ached at the sight.

She had to shake it off.

She had to keep Emily safe.

"Paige!" The loud voice snapped the archer out of her reverie and she noticed Maya walking determinedly at her. "Who the hell do you think you are?!"

Paige winced, but stood her ground and clenched her jaw as the slightly shorter woman approached her, ready to take a slap to the cheek or a fist to the gut, but she would never have been able to predict what happened next.

What happened next was so utterly unexpected that Paige's eyes actually bulged from their sockets.

They bulged, comically so, as the rest of the crowd that had gathered chuckled at her dumbfounded expression as she felt herself being crushed into a hug with her chin hooking securely over Maya's shoulder. Paige gave the Shark a firm tap to her back and felt the hold on her being released, leaving her to win back her balance as she swayed stupidly.

"Who the hell…" Maya shook her head in amazement as she stepped back to properly observe Paige. "You fancy yourself a big time hero, huh?"

"I guess I was just in the right place at the right time." Paige smirked and shrugged off Maya's words. She then caught Emily staring intently at her from behind Maya and there was a small smile on her lips, threatening to cause Paige's knees to buckle. Her system was already going haywire from thinking that Maya knew exactly what was going on, so she didn't feel too solid on her feet.

"Twice, I hear." Maya grinned broadly at Paige, but there was something in her expression that bothered Paige. It was the way Maya stared at her with her teeth bared, regardless of whether it was a genuine smile. Something flipped in Paige's gut.

Not all was as it seemed…

"Twice?" Paige arched her brow then flipped her gaze over to Caleb, ready to fix him with a proper glare.

Maya nodded simply and started circling Paige slowly, one hand coming to rest on the vigilante's shoulder as she addressed the crowd. "For those of you who don't know yet, Paige here is the one who also saved Emily from the convoy attack. The mysterious archer everyone's been whispering about is here in the flesh."

The crowd erupted into cheers and Paige could feel her cheeks burn red-hot. She hated attention and this was way too much of it. Maya noticed when she dropped her head and tried her best to avoid eye contact, so she slowly steered Paige away from the commotion. "Let's have a little chat, shall we?"

Paige let Maya lead her, but glanced back when she could feel a specific set of eyes on her, following her every movement. Emily still held that gentle smile and Paige knew that it was only for her; the softness in her eyes speaking volumes of the secret they shared between them.

It only broke her heart further.

"Let's not beat around the bush here, Paige. Join my team – you're already doing their jobs for them. I think it's a good time to make it official." Maya crossed her arms on her chest, but it was no show of defence. No, Maya's stance and the way she looked hard at Paige reeked of dominance and demand. She knew that there'd be no arguing or bargaining with the Head Shark today.

Paige sighed deeply and after a few long silent seconds finally said, "No."

Maya was clearly caught off guard and Paige bet that it wasn't often that she got rejected in such a straight forward manner. "No?" The Shark arched her brows.

"No… _Thank you_." Paige smiled and started backing away.

"Why? We could offer you protection. And backup. You can save as many pretty girls as you like." Maya tried to make light of things, but there was a strange quiver in her voice that caught Paige's attention.

"With all due respect, I don't need your protection. You should rather refocus those efforts on keeping your lady safe." Paige said simply, eager now to exit the conversation as soon as possible.

"I will." Maya cleared her throat and lifted her chin. "But I could use your help."

"I can't, I'm sorry." Paige smiled then and lifted two fingers at Maya in a salute, then turned around and walked off. Caleb, who had been hovering close by, strode after Paige as she tried to walk off, delivering a reassuring squeeze to Maya's arm as he passed her.

Paige had just enough time to bust through the door into the glaring sunlight before Caleb caught up with her and pulled her off to a small shady spot on the side of the small grass lawn in front of the building.

"Paige, what the hell? She could take care of you. Provide a home and a family. Safety and security." Caleb frowned deeply as he stood in front of his friend, not releasing his grip on her arm.

"Caleb, you know how I…" Paige started but was cut short immediately.

"Bullshit Culler. Why do you insist on being so fucking stubborn? I know you dig being a lone wolf and all that, but…" This time Paige cut off Caleb's passionate plea before he could go any further.

"Cay, it was my fault!" She blurted out and groaned, sticking her fingers into her hair with frustration.

Caleb looked on in confusion before asking, "What do you mean it's your fault? How could it have been your fault?"

Paige sighed and bowed her head, her voice dropping. "It was a message. To me. From Shana."

"What message? Why would Shana use Emily to get to you?" Caleb asked.

"Remember that thing…?" Paige started.

"The thing you can't tell me about?" Caleb huffed and raised one brow.

"Yeah, I still can't tell you, but it's what's been keeping her off my back. Now, however, it seems my credit has run out." Paige let a pained expression cross her features; pained not so much because of herself, but pained because her not having credit with Shana meant that Emily would never be safe as long as there was something between them.

"What does she want?" Caleb clenched his jaw, not liking the sound of this. He'd still fight tooth and nail for the safety of his friend.

Paige contemplated the question and the appropriate answer for a second. According to Samara, Shana wants her on the Devils' side. But was that really it? Was that all? "I think she just wants me out of the way. I haven't been playing nice with her boys… mostly because of Emily." Paige shrugged.

"Because of your stupid heroics. But why risk Maya's wrath by using Emily, to get a message across to you? Culler, what's the deal exactly?" Caleb could smell blood, like a hound, and it made Paige very uncomfortable.

Paige bit her bottom lip contemplatively, then sighed again. "Shana wasn't aiming blindly at Maya. She's smarter than that. And taking Em away from her might hurt, but it won't even put a chink in the Shark armour." Unlike Paige who, despite her tough exterior, wore her heart on her sleeve.

"A similar thing put a massive chink in Zack's armour. How can you be sure it won't bring Maya to ruin as well?" Caleb dared to step down that conversational path.

Paige didn't appreciate it. "Maya is not Zack and the story is nowhere near the same. Don't speak of things you know very little about." She ground out vehemently.

Caleb swallowed and dropped his eyes to the ground beneath his feet and relented. "I'm sorry, that was out of line." One of his hands went to the back of his neck and rubbed there as he gathered his thoughts, then asked timidly, "Are you in love with Emily? Is that why Shana is using her to get to you?"

Paige stared off into the distance blindly, the words from Caleb's question settling on her skin like uncomfortable and yet delightfully ticklish goose flesh. She refused to answer.

"Oh Paige…" Caleb slowly shook his head and stepped closer to her, one hand coming to rest on her shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"Cay, I'm leaving town. I just need to make it easy on everyone and actually get out of the way. And I can't stay here and risk putting Emily's life in further danger." Paige lifted a hand to curl around his arm in return, her eyes finally finding their way back to his.

Caleb nodded, suspecting that there was little he could do to persuade her otherwise. "When?"

"First thing in the morning. No use in delaying the inevitable." Paige nodded in affirmation.

"And Shana? She'll think you've run." Caleb asked worriedly.

Paige thought for a second, then answered, "I know one of her messengers. I'll make sure she gets the gist of it."

"Samara? Paige, come on…" Caleb sighed deeply and shook his head. "You know she's always liked screwing with your head. How can you trust her?"

"It's a strange thing." Paige admitted. "The same thing that allowed me to get Shana off my back was the same thing that won me Sam's loyalty. She may be a bitch, but I know she won't lie to me."

"I hope you're right." He gave her one last pat on the shoulder, then stepped back as he noticed a figure moving towards them, both amused and concerned to find that it was Emily. He observed as Paige's pupils dilated in the most obvious manner as she noticed the Shark consort approaching. "I'll pop over later tonight." And with that he made his exit, too scared to really know what exactly was going on between the two women.

They watched Caleb walk back into the building before their gazes were drawn back to one another, inevitably. As they stood communicating with their eyes, the world around them seemed to shift and the earth beneath their feet seemed to move. Something unspoken, yet of immense magnitude, passed in the air between them.

Emily knew. She wasn't sure exactly how, but she just knew when she looked at Paige now that she was never going to see her again. The anxiety shooting through Paige's eyes told her that she was faced with a sort of wild animal now. Paige had to do what she needed to do.

Emily had to let her go.

"I hope you'll be happy…" Paige whispered and stepped slowly closer, just dying to feel her energy connect with Emily's one last time.

"I might, but it might also be a lie without you…" Emily whispered in return, her voice cracking slightly with emotion.

And so they stood for what seemed like a small eternity, soaking up the other's presence and bathing in their warmth as much as possible. As they watched each other their hearts willed a rhythmic and synchronised beating pattern to draw them even closer, oblivious to all the world around them, and yet painfully separated as if by the thinnest of force fields that none could see.

Paige took a step back; Emily's heart broke.

And as the vigilante turned and walked away without another glance, her own heart stopped beating.

 **** **xxx...xxx======xxx...xxx**

Paige felt like she hadn't cried in years. She wasn't sure whether she had even had a good cry since she lost Jamie. She had always felt like she had to be tough, like she had to harden herself in order to be a better person for those who might need her.

Now Emily needed her more than ever, and Paige couldn't stop the tears of anger and frustration from spreading across her warm cheeks as she walked back home in the sunny but breezy air.

She had to get over it, she told herself and wiped angrily at her face with the sleeve of her jacket. She had to do this for the woman she loved.

 _Love_.

Paige shocked herself with how easily that word flitted through her mind. Was it true? How was it even possible when she barely knew the woman?

Then again, how was it possible not to fall head over heels in love with Emily Fields?

She had promised herself that she would not give her heart again just to lose it again. Yet here she was, walking far away from where she left it.

As Paige approached the alley that lead up to her apartment, her blood ran cold as she spotted her motorcycle parked in it's usual spot next to the one dumpster.

"Shit... " She breathed heavily and silently stepped closer to the stairwell, keeping her eyes open and searching for movement in every corner. Carefully she started climbing, her gaze now focused on the wide open window of her lounge, her ragged curtains caught by the wind and fluttering in and out ominously.

She cautiously climbed higher, straining to hear any sounds of movement or of voices, but everything was deathly silent around her - definitely not a good sign.

She silently slipped an arrow from the quiver still strapped to her back and readied the bow she had previously had slung over her shoulder.

She finally approached the window, but remained out of sight, until...

"Don't bother, Paigey! There's more fire power in here than even you can take on." Samara's voice called from inside and Paige could hear the silent plea between the lines of her words to know that this wasn't a good time to act like an idiot.

Paige relaxed her bow and stepped up to the window, immediately having to resist the physical force of two men as they restrained her and completely unarmed her. She tried to put up a fight but every attempt was useless as the large men simply yanked her around like a feisty kitten. Once she found herself flung at the floor with enough force to knock her head and felt the dull ache spread through her skull, she finally yielded her efforts.

"So nice of you to finally join us, Culler." Paige strained to open her eyes as she pushed herself up on her elbows. Double shit.

There, casually lounging on Paige's couch in front of her, was the one and only Shana, while Samara hung back more towards the kitchen. There was a total of three Devil bodyguards idling about the room, armed to the teeth and muscled to boot.

Paige quickly realized that there was no way out of this.

"Sorry I'm late. I misplaced my bike." Paige sighed and shifted around to sit with her legs crossed on the floor as she faced the Head Devil. The Demon herself.

"I'm so glad to see your sense of humor is still in tact, Culler. However, mine is starting to falter, so let's cut to the chase." Shana's tone was strong and assertive. She exuded control. "I'm about to make you an offer you can't refuse."

Shana was known for a lot of things, but her ability to joke around was not one of them. "Somehow I doubt that." Paige replied with an eye roll.

Shana clearly wasn't amused by Paige's attempts at humor either. She silently motioned to one of the Hulks standing closest to Paige and without wasting a second, he backhanded her through the face, causing her to sprawl a few inches further on the floor. Groaning, Paige tentatively touched her throbbing lip and found it busted and bleeding.

"It's simple, really. All you need to do is join my little family." Shana smirked.

"Well, first of all, I highly doubt it's that simple at all. And secondly, fuck no." Paige spat some blood onto the floor in front of her before feeling another broad hand smack her through the face like a wooden plank.

This time she couldn't lift herself higher than an inch or two off the ground, her head turned to the side as a more steady dribble of blood and spit extended from her mouth to the tiles beneath her.

"Once you have joined my side, you will join the Sharks as a double agent." Shana continued simply, casually looking over her fingernails.

Paige opened her mouth wide with what was no doubt going to be another snarky reply, but she was stopped in her tracks by Samara stepping up to her side and dropping to her haunches. She fixed Paige with a concerned but stern look, causing Paige to swallow her words and sigh before sitting upright again, then proceeded to wipe the blood from her face.

"And if I don't?" Paige ventured after a minute.

"I'll kill Emily." Shana smiled.

Paige felt like she had been hit in the gut by a truck at such a callous statement. She felt cold chills running down her spine as she stared at Shana, the Demon's face allowing no room for argument.

Paige knew she was serious.

"So Emily's abduction _was_ aimed at me and not Maya." Paige said more in statement than question.

"Bingo. And speaking of Maya. Your job will be to get closer to her and gain her trust." Shana stood and arched a shaped brow down at Paige.

"You don't start small, do you?" Paige winced, her head spinning at the current turn of events, even if she won't admit it out loud.

"Paige. I will slit that pretty girlfriend of yours' throat myself. I swear to God."

 **xxx...xxx======xxx...xxx**

Emily leaned back into Spencer's hands running their course over her neck and shoulders, massaging the calming oils deep into her muscles. Hanna was busy finishing off a pedicure on Emily's feet, while Aria was painting her nails. The girls were desperate to stay by Emily's side and help soothe and calm her. Thus they had been doting on her for hours as they casually chatted about odds and ends. They wanted to distract Emily from the events prior, so they kept the topics light.

Until.

"So... What's she like? You know..." Hanna grinned from Emily's left side where she sat like the little devil. The girls could always count on her to ask inappropriate questions at inopportune times.

"Hanna!" Aria squeaked, eyes wide as she stared at her blonde friend.

Noticing Emily's furious blush, Spencer tried to rather steer the conversation from her right side, playing the angel. "Heroic, and worthy of our respect. That's all that matters - she brought Em home safely."

"Yeah! Honestly, it seems we're all better off with Paige right now!" Hanna hissed angrily at the thought of Maya's inability to get anywhere close to finding Emily.

Spencer pursed her lips. "Hanna... We don't even know how Paige managed to figure out what was going on. There could be more going on than meets the eye here."

"So now you're a Maya fan? You were the one yelling at her." Hanna scowled at her brunette friend.

"Guys... " Aria squeaked again in the background, but to no avail.

"When was I ever not a Maya fan, Hanna? I just mean that we don't know anything about Paige. She could be... "

"Guys. Come..."

"When? Spencer, you said it yourself just the other day! You said there was something about Maya. Something that..."

"GUYS!"

The arguing friends halted abruptly and stared at Aria, only then to realize Emily had gotten up from between them and walked over to the window, leaving both women to curse themselves under their breath.

"Em, I..." Hanna started, but was quickly cut off by Spencer.

"We're sorry. We're just being silly." She couldn't be too sure that Hanna wouldn't continue the tirade. She often lacked a filter.

Emily turned her back to the window and leaned against her desk, sighing. "No. You're both right." She shrugged as she paused for a few long seconds, allowing her friends to feel the confusion of Emily's expression. "Maya's has hidden things - important things - from me before, when we were at school still. I didn't know about the extent of her... extracurricular activities, until she was put in jail. But as for Paige, I know she's got a lot of skeletons in her closet too. Honestly, it scares me a little." She finally admitted softly, though more to herself than her friends.

"Then again, I would not be able to believe that any of Maya's intentions come from a place other than deep care and concern for this family of hers. I know I can trust her." Emily spoke with conviction, but she grew timid again soon after, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. "But I have never felt as safe as I do when I'm with Paige..."

Hanna sucked in a sharp breath as she readied herself to launch into another set of questions when there was a loud knock at the door, causing the girls to freeze.

"Hey Em, sorry to interrupt... " Maya's voice was low and gentle from where she leaned in the doorway, her smile radiating nothing but warmth at Emily.

And Emily found herself in need.

"That's our cue, guys!" Aria, ever the diplomat, jumped up and tugged on Hanna's arm while casting a pointed look at Spencer.

"Thanks for being here for me. You're all so amazing." Emily smiled and followed them to the door, past where Maya was now standing and waiting. They greeted in passing before Emily closed the door and locked it, then instinctively threw her arms around her partner's neck.

Maya held Emily so close that it seemed as if she was trying to blend them into one being. Emily could feel Maya's fingers splay over her back and then grab hold of her sweater possesively. She allowed herself to be completely enveloped and sighed her contentment into Maya's neck. Maya shivered in return.

"I was so afraid." Maya admitted softly into Emily's shoulder before breathing her in deeply, having to check and check again that it was indeed Emily in her arms.

"I'm fine, I promise... " Emily cooed into her hair and pulled back to give her reassuring, albeit small, smile.

"I don't call this fine... " Maya's finger gently eased over the rope burns on Emily's wrists, but that seemed to be the extent of her injuries, save for a few bruises and scrapes.

"Maya, I don't think they planned on doing anything to me. I got the distinct feeling that I was... bait, of some sort. I was meant to be found." Emily shared her thoughts.

Maya nodded and seemed to agree. "You were a message to me, Em. An example of what could happen should I let my guard down." She shook her head sadly and cupped Emily's face in her hand. "I'm sorry I failed you... I swear it will never happen again. I would understand should you lose faith in me, though. I'm so scared that as long as you're close to me, they'll keep using you against me."

"I refuse to be just a chink in your armor, Maya. I'm stronger than I look. I've been targeted twice and I'm still alive!"

 _Thanks to Paige..._ Emily thought to herself. Harshly.

"I would love nothing more than to have my warrior princess by my side." Maya grinned, clearly enjoying the images conjured up in her mind's eye. "However, until you're ready, I promise I'll do everything I possibly can to make sure you never have to endure something like that again." Her tone turned steady and convincing. Emily understood there'd be no protesting.

A few long minutes passed in silence as they simply held each other, breathed each other, watched each other. It was comforting in the moment to both sets of frazzled nerves and neither seemed willing to leave such a warm embrace.

Then...

"Maya..." Emily whispered, her heart pounding.

In her throat.

In her ears.

Pounding, hard.

"Maya..." She repeated and leaned back slightly, pulling the woman with her as she moved towards the bed, nearly imperceptibly slow.

"Emily... "

And somewhere... Somewhere... a light went out.

 **xxx...xxx======xxx...xxx**

 _"Hey babe, I'm home!" Emily smiled where she sat at the kitchen table and glanced over at the front door where Paige had just entered after a long day at work._

 _She knew her girlfriend would be tired and frustrated and sure enough, it showed on Paige's face as she dropped her bag to one side and placed her keys in a nearby bowl. Emily immediately walked over and wrapped her arms around her love to ease her troubles._

 _Paige melted right into her arms as if it was the only place she ever belonged._

 _"Hmm, smells good." Paige moaned after pulling away and sniffing the air, then looked back to Emily excitedly._

 _"It's your favorite." Emily grinned happily in return as she started loosening the tie secured around Paige's neck, then started popping open her dress shirt's buttons one by one. "However, it's not ready yet..."_

 _As she mumbled against Paige's lips, she tried her best to ward off her eager girlfriend's advances by swatting away her roaming hands. She knew from experience that whenever Paige was most stressed and agitated was when she burned the hottest between the sheets. It was her way of blowing off steam._

 _"And neither are you ready for this... " Emily smirked as she pushed Paige away and gave her a promising wink."Bath first. It's ready for you."_

 _After a few more minutes of banter and pawing at each other, Paige finally gave up and went to scrub herself with the promise of good food and good sex on the way. This allowed Emily time to finish cooking as she hummed happy tunes to herself, floating around the kitchen with ease._

 _An hour later Paige was yet to exit the bathroom. Emily rolled her eyes and sauntered over to the closed door and knocked. "You still alive in there, baby?" She chuckled._

 _No answer._

 _"Paige, are you okay?" Emily knocked again, this time with more urgency._

 _Still, there was no answer._

 _Emily didn't wait another second to throw open the door, though nothing could prepare her for what she would find._

 _Laying in the steaming hot bath was a disfigured corpse, its skin seemingly melted out of place while ugly blisters and boils were scattered about. There were only bloody holes where she assumed eyes had once been and there was no hair, save a clump or two. But the most terrifying fact of all was that two twisted horns of about two inches each protruded from the top of the faceless monstrosity's forehead, right where a normal hairline would have started._

 _Twisted devil horns._

 _Emily screamed._

 **xxx...xxx======xxx...xxx**

"Emily? Em... " Emily's eyes shot open as she bolted upright in bed, her voice stuck in her aching throat like a sharp bone. She was clammy and her heart was racing.

A dream. She swallowed.

"Emily?!" The call came through her bedroom door again and Emily quickly realized that she must have slept through a few attempts already.

She blinked at the light streaming in from her window as she shuffled from under her sheet and grabbed her gown. She quickly threw it on and pulled the door ajar to determine the reason for the persistence.

It was Maya, her eyes seemingly burning with a new fire that morning.

"I'm sorry, beautiful." She crooned and reached out to fiddle with the belt of Emily's robe. "I know it's early and you didn't get much sleep..." She paused and cleared her throat sheepishly, causing Emily to blush knowingly in return. "But I have someone here that I need you to meet."

Emily smiled and leaned a little closer. "Can I at least just grab a much needed shower first?"

Maya bit her bottom lip as her eyes traveled the length of Emily's face, settling on her mouth as she spoke. "Don't take too long. I miss you..."

Maya leaned into the doorway to reach Emily for a kiss, but the taller woman giggled playfully and shoved her away before closing the door securely. Maya's jaw dropped in mock offense as she stared through the wooden surface, but soon she smiled brightly and skipped off.

On the other side of the door Emily had her head pressed against the solid surface, while one hand rubbed at the back of her neck anxiously...

About twenty minutes later Emily was descending the stairs to the courtyard dressed in a wine red dress with midnight blue patterns and accents all over, her hair still wet as she ruffled it with every step she took.

She was too happily distracted to notice the two pairs of hungry eyes combing over every inch of her.

"Em, I told you I would do everything in my power to keep you safe..." Maya started as she walked towards Emily, taking her hand and leading her to their table where Emily finally noticed the third person in their company.

Emily immediately felt her throat constrict.

"So you now officially have a bodyguard that will stick by your side wherever you go." Maya continued excitedly.

Emily's world started to spin. Faster and faster.

"In fact, I got you the best." Maya gestured proudly at their companion.

Emily's stomach twisted and knotted so painfully that she had to swallow down the urge to get sick.

There sat Paige, broken and bruised, looking like she was fulfilling a death sentence.

Oh, that the gods should be such bastards.


End file.
